What does solar really cost in your city?
Installed prices, the 30% federal credit, your utility's export rules and an honest payback period — for 30 US cities, built from public data instead of sales brochures.
Run the payback calculatorBrowse costs by city
Independent numbers, not a sales pitch
SolarMath is a data project, not an installer. We do not sell panels, and no installer can pay to change a number on this site. Every city page starts from the same public sources — solar production modeled by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's PVWatts tool, retail electricity rates published by the US Energy Information Administration, and incentive rules tracked by DSIRE — then layers in what actually makes your city different: your utility's export credit policy, local rebates, and the going installed price per watt in your market.
That matters because solar economics are local. The same 6 kW system can pay for itself in under four years in San Diego, where electricity costs over 38¢ per kWh, and take more than a decade where rates sit near 12¢. A national average hides exactly the number you need. Pick your city below for the local version, or run your own electric bill through the calculator.
Solar panel cost by city
Solar cost in California
Solar cost in Arizona
Solar cost in Nevada
Solar cost in New Mexico
Solar cost in Texas
Solar cost in Colorado
Solar cost in Florida
Solar cost in Georgia
Solar cost in North Carolina
Solar cost in Tennessee
Solar cost in Massachusetts
Solar cost in New York
Solar cost in New Jersey
Solar cost in Pennsylvania
Solar cost in Illinois
Solar cost in Michigan
How we calculate
System size. We assume a typical home uses about 900 kWh a month (10,800 kWh a year) and size the system to cover it: annual usage divided by the city's production per installed kW, from NREL PVWatts.
Cost. Gross cost is system size times the local installed price per watt. We then apply the 30% federal tax credit and any local rebate listed on the city page to get the net cost.
Savings and payback. Yearly savings are modeled production times the local retail electricity rate from EIA data. Payback is net cost divided by yearly savings, and the 25-year figure applies a 0.92 lifetime factor for panel degradation. Every figure is an estimate — your roof, shading and utility plan will move it — but the method is the same one installers use, out in the open.
Solar cost FAQ
How much do solar panels cost in 2026?
Most residential systems install for about $2.70–$3.30 per watt before incentives, depending on the state. A common 6 kW system runs roughly $16,000–$20,000 before the 30% federal tax credit — and your city page shows the local number, not a national guess.
How long does solar take to pay for itself?
Anywhere from about 4 to 11 years. Payback is net cost divided by yearly bill savings, so it hinges on three local numbers: your electricity rate, how much sun your roof gets, and how your utility credits exported power. High-rate, high-sun cities like San Diego break even fastest; low-rate cities take longer.
What is the 30% federal solar tax credit?
The federal residential clean energy credit covers 30% of a system's total installed cost — panels, inverter, labor and eligible batteries — with no dollar cap. On a $17,400 system that is a $5,220 credit, bringing the net cost to $12,180. You claim it on your federal tax return the year the system is installed.
Does solar still make sense without net metering?
Usually yes, but sizing matters more. Where exported power is credited at a low avoided-cost rate instead of the full retail rate, a system sized to your own daytime usage beats an oversized one. Our guide on net metering vs avoided cost walks through the math.
Where does SolarMath's data come from?
Production is modeled with NREL PVWatts for each city's location, electricity rates come from EIA retail-sales data, local incentives from DSIRE and utility programs, and installed costs are benchmarked to current local market pricing. Every city page lists its sources and the month it was last updated.