Richland County
Richland County, Wisconsin: solar permitting grade C (score 42/100, 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 42/100 |
| Population | 17,290 |
| 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
Richland 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: Iowa County (≈30 mi) · Grant County (≈37 mi) · Monroe County (≈40 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
In Wisconsin, towns hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Richland County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Richland Center city
- Akan town
- Bloom town
- Buena Vista town
- Dayton town
- Eagle town
- Forest town
- Henrietta town
- Ithaca town
- Marshall town
- Orion town
- Richland town
- Richwood town
- Rockbridge town
- Sylvan town
- Westford town
- Willow town
- Boaz village
- Cazenovia village
- Lone Rock village
- Viola village
- Yuba village
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Vernon County · ≈25 miC42—
- Sauk County · ≈25 miB31—
- Crawford County · ≈27 miB32—
- Iowa County · ≈30 miC47—
- Grant County · ≈37 miD65—
- Monroe County · ≈40 miB32—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Richland County ranks #47 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.