Johnson County
Johnson County, Tennessee: solar permitting grade D (score 59/100, High Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | D · High Risk · Score 59/100 |
| Population | 17,948 |
| Solar ordinance | No specific solar ordinance recorded |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Worsening (ordinance direction tightening) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Johnson County is a high-risk jurisdiction for utility-scale solar — documented ordinance hurdles are significant and approval history is mixed or unfavorable. Tennessee's state policy environment adds headwinds — the absence of a strong RPS framework means county-level resistance faces less counterbalancing pressure.
Local intel
No energy-related meetings, PSC dockets, or named opposition tracked for this county yet. See indexed calendar →
Nearby counties where SitePath is tracking energy activity: Watauga County (≈17 mi) · Washington County (≈21 mi) · Russell County (≈36 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Johnson County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Mountain City town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Watauga County, NC · ≈17 miB40—
- Carter County · ≈19 miD56—
- Bristol County, VA · ≈20 miB34—
- Ashe County, NC · ≈20 miB37—
- Washington County, VA · ≈21 miB37—
- Sullivan County · ≈25 miC42—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Johnson County ranks #91 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.