Jefferson County
Jefferson County, West Virginia: solar permitting grade C (score 50/100, 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 50/100 |
| Population | 57,277 |
| 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
Jefferson County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement. West Virginia'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.
- Charles Town city
- Bolivar town
- Harpers Ferry town
- Shepherdstown town
- Ranson corporation
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Berkeley County · ≈14 miB39—
- Clarke County, VA · ≈15 miD63—
- Winchester County, VA · ≈19 miB33—
- Loudoun County, VA · ≈20 miD60—
- Washington County, MD · ≈21 miB37—
- Frederick County, VA · ≈23 miC51—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Jefferson County ranks #12 of 55 ranked West Virginia counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in West Virginia: Berkeley County (B · 39), Mineral County (C · 43), Kanawha County (C · 44). See all West 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.