Lincoln County
Lincoln County, Wisconsin: solar permitting grade C (score 45/100, 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 45/100 |
| Population | 28,743 |
| 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
Lincoln 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: Oneida County (≈28 mi) · Langlade County (≈33 mi) · Price County (≈38 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
In Wisconsin, towns hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Lincoln County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Merrill city
- Tomahawk city
- Birch town
- Bradley town
- Corning town
- Harding town
- Harrison town
- King town
- Merrill town
- Pine River town
- Rock Falls town
- Russell town
- Schley town
- Scott town
- Skanawan town
- Somo town
- Tomahawk town
- Wilson town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Oneida County · ≈28 miD58—
- Marathon County · ≈30 miB37—
- Langlade County · ≈33 miB32—
- Price County · ≈38 miB33—
- Taylor County · ≈38 miB40—
- Vilas County · ≈51 miB31—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Lincoln County ranks #53 of 72 ranked Wisconsin counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Wisconsin: Sauk County (B · 31), Crawford County (B · 31), Vilas County (B · 31). 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.