Bayfield County
Bayfield County, Wisconsin: solar permitting grade B (score 39/100, Moderate Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | B · Moderate Risk · Score 39/100 |
| Population | 15,065 |
| 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
Bayfield County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation.
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: Douglas County (≈36 mi) · Iron County (≈48 mi) · Sawyer County (≈53 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
In Wisconsin, towns hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Bayfield County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Ashland citypartly in this county
- Bayfield city
- Washburn city
- Barksdale town
- Barnes town
- Bayfield town
- Bayview town
- Bell town
- Cable town
- Clover town
- Delta town
- Drummond town
- Eileen town
- Grand View town
- Hughes town
- Iron River town
- Kelly town
- Keystone town
- Lincoln town
- Mason town
- Namakagon town
- Orienta town
- Oulu town
- Pilsen town
Show all
- Port Wing town
- Russell town
- Tripp town
- Washburn town
- Mason village
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Ashland County · ≈25 miB39—
- Douglas County · ≈36 miB38—
- Iron County · ≈48 miB32—
- Sawyer County · ≈53 miB32—
- Washburn County · ≈59 miB40—
- Lake County, MN · ≈62 miB35—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Bayfield County ranks #35 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.