Lincoln County
Lincoln County, South Dakota: solar permitting grade B (score 39/100, Moderate Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | B · Moderate Risk · Score 39/100 |
| Population | 55,720 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Lincoln County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Lincoln County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Beresford city
- Canton city
- Harrisburg city
- Lennox city
- Sioux Falls city
- Tea city
- Worthing city
- Fairview town
- Hudson town
- Brooklyn township
- Canton township
- Dayton township
- Delapre township
- Delaware township
- Eden township
- Fairview township
- Grant township
- Highland township
- La Valley township
- Lincoln township
- Lynn township
- Norway township
- Perry township
- Pleasant township
Show all
- Springdale township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Turner County · ≈22 miC42—
- Lyon County, IA · ≈27 miB30—
- Minnehaha County · ≈27 miB40—
- Clay County · ≈28 miB41—
- Sioux County, IA · ≈31 miD52—
- Union County · ≈31 miB41—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Lincoln County ranks #27 of 66 ranked South Dakota counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in South Dakota: Deuel County (A · 28), Hutchinson County (A · 29), Walworth County (A · 29). See all South Dakota county grades →
Want the full record?
Setback distances, board vote histories, source documents, and ordinance amendments are available in the full county profile. The map is free; a walkthrough shows you the underlying record.
About this score
Every U.S. county is scored 0–100 on solar permitting risk (lower is friendlier to development). The grade is a weighted composite of compliance stringency, market saturation, regulatory trajectory, and data uncertainty. Every figure traces back to a primary government document. Read the full methodology →
Related reading
SitePath Intelligence is a research platform. Data verified as of 2026-05-02. Scores update on a quarterly review cycle.