Vilas County
Vilas 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 | 22,404 |
| 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
Vilas 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: Oneida County (≈23 mi) · Iron County (≈41 mi) · Forest County (≈44 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
In Wisconsin, towns hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Vilas County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Eagle River city
- Arbor Vitae town
- Boulder Junction town
- Cloverland town
- Conover town
- Lac du Flambeau town
- Land O'Lakes town
- Lincoln town
- Manitowish Waters town
- Phelps town
- Plum Lake town
- Presque Isle town
- St. Germain town
- Washington town
- Winchester town
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Oneida County · ≈23 miD53—
- Gogebic County, MI · ≈33 miB35—
- Iron County · ≈41 miB32—
- Forest County · ≈44 miB37—
- Iron County, MI · ≈47 miB35—
- Price County · ≈49 miB34—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Vilas County ranks #31 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.