Matagorda County
Matagorda County, Texas: solar permitting grade C (score 47/100, 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 47/100 |
| Population | 36,643 |
| Solar ordinance | No specific solar ordinance recorded |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Improving (ordinance direction easing) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-09-25 |
Developer outlook
Matagorda County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement. Market saturation is elevated in this area — expect competition for prime land parcels and interconnection capacity.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Matagorda County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Bay City city
- Palacios city
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Wharton County · ≈37 miB31—
- Jackson County · ≈38 miC43—
- Calhoun County · ≈43 miA29—
- Brazoria County · ≈43 miB30—
- Fort Bend County · ≈53 miB40—
- Victoria County · ≈59 miB32—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Matagorda County ranks #223 of 254 ranked Texas counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Texas: Reagan County (A · 20), Coleman County (A · 20), Atascosa County (A · 21). See all Texas 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 2026-09-25. Scores update on a quarterly review cycle.