Yakima County
Yakima County, Washington: solar permitting grade F (score 68/100, Very High Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | F · Very High Risk · Score 68/100 |
| Population | 250,873 |
| 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
Yakima County is very high risk for utility-scale solar permitting. Significant regulatory barriers are on record, and approval is not likely without substantial process investment. Washington's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive. 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 Yakima County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Grandview city
- Granger city
- Mabton city
- Moxee city
- Selah city
- Sunnyside city
- Tieton city
- Toppenish city
- Union Gap city
- Wapato city
- Yakima city
- Zillah city
- Harrah town
- Naches town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Klickitat County · ≈41 miF68—
- Kittitas County · ≈46 miC43—
- Benton County · ≈60 miB40—
- Skamania County · ≈65 miB38—
- Sherman County, OR · ≈73 miD53—
- Pierce County · ≈78 miA29—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Yakima County ranks #38 of 39 ranked Washington counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Washington: Thurston County (A · 23), Pierce County (A · 29), Snohomish County (A · 29). See all Washington 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.