Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Tennessee: solar permitting grade C (score 49/100, Elevated Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | C · Elevated Risk · Score 49/100 |
| Population | 53,247 |
| Solar ordinance | Active, restrictive solar ordinance |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Worsening (ordinance direction tightening) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Jefferson County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement. Tennessee's state policy environment adds headwinds — the absence of a strong RPS framework means county-level resistance faces less counterbalancing pressure.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Jefferson County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Baneberry city
- Jefferson City city
- Morristown citypartly in this county
- Dandridge town
- New Market town
- White Pine townpartly in this county
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Hamblen County · ≈15 miC45—
- Grainger County · ≈16 miC51—
- Sevier County · ≈18 miD56—
- Cocke County · ≈20 miD56—
- Union County · ≈27 miC43—
- Knox County · ≈28 miC44—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Jefferson County ranks #77 of 95 ranked Tennessee counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Tennessee: Hardin County (A · 27), Lawrence County (A · 29), Crockett County (B · 30). See all Tennessee 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.