Vernon County
Vernon 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 | 30,822 |
| 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
Vernon 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: Monroe County (≈26 mi) · La Crosse County (≈26 mi) · Houston County (≈35 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
In Wisconsin, towns hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Vernon County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Hillsboro city
- Viroqua city
- Westby city
- Bergen town
- Christiana town
- Clinton town
- Coon town
- Forest town
- Franklin town
- Genoa town
- Greenwood town
- Hamburg town
- Harmony town
- Hillsboro town
- Jefferson town
- Kickapoo town
- Liberty town
- Stark town
- Sterling town
- Union town
- Viroqua town
- Webster town
- Wheatland town
- Whitestown town
Show all
- Chaseburg village
- Coon Valley village
- De Soto villagepartly in this county
- Genoa village
- La Farge village
- Ontario villagepartly in this county
- Readstown village
- Stoddard village
- Viola villagepartly in this county
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Richland County · ≈25 miC42—
- Crawford County · ≈25 miB32—
- Monroe County · ≈26 miB32—
- La Crosse County · ≈26 miB38—
- Houston County, MN · ≈35 miB33—
- Allamakee County, IA · ≈36 miB37—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Vernon County ranks #48 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.