Wise County
Wise County, Virginia: solar permitting grade D (score 55/100, 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 55/100 |
| Population | 37,383 |
| 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
Wise County is a high-risk jurisdiction for utility-scale solar — documented ordinance hurdles are significant and approval history is mixed or unfavorable. Virginia's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive.
Local intel
On file: energy-related meetings
- SolarChristopher Barnette, Secretary Wise County Electoral Board General Registrar Posted on February 25, 2026 Local Solar News & Projects 3 of 4 news items Wise… · agenda
- SolarWebsite Sign In Home News Flash $500K grant will open solar project in Wise County – July 31, 2019 News Flash $500K grant will open solar project in Wise… · agenda
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Wise County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Appalachia town
- Big Stone Gap town
- Coeburn town
- Pound town
- St. Paul townpartly in this county
- Wise town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Norton County · ≈3 miB35—
- Letcher County, KY · ≈17 miD58—
- Scott County · ≈18 miC47—
- Dickenson County · ≈19 miC50—
- Russell County · ≈29 miB41—
- Knott County, KY · ≈32 miD58—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Wise County ranks #108 of 133 ranked Virginia counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Virginia: Charlottesville County (A · 23), Manassas Park County (A · 27), Falls Church County (A · 27). See all Virginia 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.