Barron County
Barron County, Wisconsin: solar permitting grade C (score 46/100, 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 46/100 |
| Population | 45,252 |
| Solar ordinance | Active, restrictive solar ordinance |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Barron County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement.
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: Polk County (≈29 mi) · Dunn County (≈34 mi) · Rusk County (≈35 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
In Wisconsin, towns hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Barron County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Barron city
- Chetek city
- Cumberland city
- Rice Lake city
- Almena town
- Arland town
- Barron town
- Bear Lake town
- Cedar Lake town
- Chetek town
- Clinton town
- Crystal Lake town
- Cumberland town
- Dallas town
- Dovre town
- Doyle town
- Lakeland town
- Maple Grove town
- Maple Plain town
- Oak Grove town
- Prairie Farm town
- Prairie Lake town
- Rice Lake town
- Sioux Creek town
Show all
- Stanfold town
- Stanley town
- Sumner town
- Turtle Lake town
- Vance Creek town
- Almena village
- Cameron village
- Dallas village
- Haugen village
- New Auburn village
- Prairie Farm village
- Turtle Lake village
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Polk County · ≈29 miB35—
- Washburn County · ≈32 miB40—
- Dunn County · ≈34 miB39—
- Rusk County · ≈35 miB33—
- Chippewa County · ≈38 miB38—
- Burnett County · ≈39 miB39—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Barron County ranks #55 of 72 ranked Wisconsin counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Wisconsin: Sauk County (B · 31), Crawford County (B · 32), Sawyer County (B · 32). See all Wisconsin 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.