Manitowoc County
Manitowoc County, Wisconsin: solar permitting grade D (score 62/100, High Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | D · High Risk · Score 62/100 |
| Population | 79,478 |
| Solar ordinance | Active, restrictive solar ordinance |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Data-center activity | Moratorium ACTIVE (county board, 18 months from 2026-04-28) |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Manitowoc County is a high-risk jurisdiction for utility-scale solar — documented ordinance hurdles are significant and approval history is mixed or unfavorable. 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
In Wisconsin, towns hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Manitowoc County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Kiel citypartly in this county
- Manitowoc city
- Two Rivers city
- Cato town
- Centerville town
- Cooperstown town
- Eaton town
- Franklin town
- Gibson town
- Kossuth town
- Liberty town
- Manitowoc Rapids town
- Manitowoc town
- Maple Grove town
- Meeme town
- Mishicot town
- Newton town
- Rockland town
- Schleswig town
- Two Creeks town
- Two Rivers town
- Cleveland village
- Francis Creek village
- Kellnersville village
Show all
- Maribel village
- Mishicot village
- Reedsville village
- St. Nazianz village
- Valders village
- Whitelaw village
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Kewaunee County · ≈28 miC50—
- Mason County, MI · ≈29 miB34—
- Sheboygan County · ≈32 miC51—
- Manistee County, MI · ≈39 miB34—
- Oceana County, MI · ≈40 miB33—
- Brown County · ≈42 miD56—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Manitowoc County ranks #71 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.