Winnebago County
Winnebago County, Wisconsin: solar permitting grade C (score 46/100, 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 46/100 |
| Population | 170,420 |
| 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
Winnebago County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement. 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 Winnebago County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Appleton citypartly in this county
- Menasha citypartly in this county
- Neenah city
- Omro city
- Oshkosh city
- Algoma town
- Black Wolf town
- Clayton town
- Neenah town
- Nekimi town
- Nepeuskun town
- Omro town
- Oshkosh town
- Poygan town
- Rushford town
- Utica town
- Vinland town
- Winchester town
- Winneconne town
- Wolf River town
- Fox Crossing village
- Winneconne village
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Calumet County · ≈23 miB37—
- Fond du Lac County · ≈24 miC42—
- Outagamie County · ≈25 miB37—
- Green Lake County · ≈27 miB38—
- Waushara County · ≈28 miC42—
- Waupaca County · ≈31 miB37—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Winnebago County ranks #57 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.