Solar panel cost by state
Price per watt, the electricity rate the array is displacing and the sun the state actually gets. Those three numbers decide almost everything, and they differ enough between states that a national average is useless to anyone.
There is a fourth thing that used to matter and no longer does. The 30% federal residential clean energy credit ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025. Nothing on this site subtracts it any more, and the net costs below are lower only where a state still runs a program of its own.
Every figure below is modelled for a 8 kW system, after whatever incentives are actually open today. None of it is a quote.
Every state
| State | $ / watt | Rate | Sun hrs | 8 kW net | Payback | State incentive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $2.70 | 15.4¢ | 4.5 | $21,600 | 13.3 yrs | None |
| Alaska | $3.50 | 24.5¢ | 3 | $28,000 | 16.3 yrs | None |
| Arizona | $2.50 | 14.5¢ | 6 | $19,000 | 9.3 yrs | Arizona Residential Solar Energy Tax Credit |
| Arkansas | $2.75 | 12.6¢ | 4.6 | $22,000 | 16.2 yrs | None |
| California | $3.30 | 31.8¢ | 5.5 | $26,400 | 6.5 yrs | None |
| Colorado | $2.90 | 15¢ | 5.4 | $23,200 | 12.3 yrs | None |
| Connecticut | $3.20 | 27.5¢ | 4.2 | $25,600 | 9.5 yrs | None |
| Delaware | $2.90 | 16.5¢ | 4.4 | $20,700 | 12.2 yrs | Delmarva Green Energy Program |
| District of Columbia | $3.00 | 16.8¢ | 4.3 | $18,000 | 10.7 yrs | DC SREC market |
| Florida | $2.45 | 15.3¢ | 5.2 | $19,600 | 10.5 yrs | None |
| Georgia | $2.60 | 14.5¢ | 4.8 | $20,800 | 12.8 yrs | None |
| Hawaii | $3.60 | 41.5¢ | 5.7 | $23,800 | 4.3 yrs | Hawaii Renewable Energy Technologies Income Tax Credit |
| Idaho | $2.70 | 11.5¢ | 4.9 | $20,800 | 15.8 yrs | Idaho Residential Alternative Energy Deduction |
| Illinois | $3.00 | 16.5¢ | 4.3 | $19,000 | 11.5 yrs | Illinois Shines (Adjustable Block Program) |
| Indiana | $2.80 | 15¢ | 4.2 | $22,400 | 15.2 yrs | None |
| Iowa | $2.85 | 13.5¢ | 4.4 | $22,800 | 16.4 yrs | None |
| Kansas | $2.75 | 14.2¢ | 5 | $22,000 | 13.3 yrs | None |
| Kentucky | $2.80 | 13¢ | 4.2 | $22,400 | 17.6 yrs | None |
| Louisiana | $2.75 | 12.8¢ | 4.7 | $22,000 | 15.7 yrs | None |
| Maine | $3.00 | 25.5¢ | 4.2 | $24,000 | 9.6 yrs | None |
| Maryland | $2.90 | 17.5¢ | 4.4 | $20,700 | 11.5 yrs | Maryland Residential Clean Energy Rebate |
| Massachusetts | $3.40 | 30.5¢ | 4.3 | $23,700 | 7.7 yrs | SMART program + state tax credit |
| Michigan | $2.90 | 19¢ | 4 | $23,200 | 13.1 yrs | None |
| Minnesota | $3.00 | 15¢ | 4.3 | $24,000 | 15.9 yrs | None |
| Mississippi | $2.75 | 13.5¢ | 4.7 | $22,000 | 14.8 yrs | None |
| Missouri | $2.75 | 12.5¢ | 4.6 | $22,000 | 16.4 yrs | None |
| Montana | $2.95 | 12.5¢ | 4.5 | $23,100 | 17.6 yrs | Montana Alternative Energy Systems Credit |
| Nebraska | $2.80 | 11.5¢ | 4.8 | $22,400 | 17.4 yrs | None |
| Nevada | $2.60 | 16.5¢ | 6 | $20,800 | 9.0 yrs | None |
| New Hampshire | $3.10 | 25.5¢ | 4.2 | $23,800 | 9.5 yrs | NH Residential Renewable Electric Generation Rebate |
| New Jersey | $3.10 | 20.5¢ | 4.4 | $20,800 | 9.9 yrs | Successor Solar Incentive (SuSI) |
| New Mexico | $2.75 | 14.5¢ | 6.2 | $19,500 | 9.3 yrs | New Mexico Solar Market Development Tax Credit |
| New York | $3.40 | 24.5¢ | 4 | $22,700 | 9.9 yrs | NY-Sun Megawatt Block + state solar tax credit |
| North Carolina | $2.60 | 13.5¢ | 4.7 | $20,800 | 14.0 yrs | None |
| North Dakota | $2.95 | 10.8¢ | 4.5 | $23,600 | 20.8 yrs | None |
| Ohio | $2.80 | 15.5¢ | 4.1 | $22,400 | 15.1 yrs | None |
| Oklahoma | $2.70 | 12¢ | 5.1 | $21,600 | 15.1 yrs | None |
| Oregon | $2.80 | 13.5¢ | 4 | $20,900 | 16.6 yrs | Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate Program |
| Pennsylvania | $2.80 | 18¢ | 4.1 | $20,900 | 12.1 yrs | Pennsylvania SREC market |
| Rhode Island | $3.20 | 27.5¢ | 4.3 | $23,100 | 8.4 yrs | Renewable Energy Fund residential grant |
| South Carolina | $2.65 | 14.5¢ | 4.8 | $17,700 | 10.9 yrs | South Carolina Solar Energy Tax Credit |
| South Dakota | $2.90 | 12.5¢ | 4.7 | $23,200 | 16.9 yrs | None |
| Tennessee | $2.70 | 13¢ | 4.4 | $21,600 | 16.2 yrs | None |
| Texas | $2.55 | 15¢ | 5.1 | $20,400 | 11.4 yrs | None |
| Utah | $2.55 | 11.5¢ | 5.4 | $20,400 | 14.1 yrs | None |
| Vermont | $3.20 | 21.5¢ | 4 | $25,600 | 12.7 yrs | None |
| Virginia | $2.70 | 14.5¢ | 4.5 | $21,600 | 14.2 yrs | None |
| Washington | $2.90 | 11.5¢ | 3.7 | $23,200 | 23.3 yrs | None |
| West Virginia | $2.85 | 14.5¢ | 4.1 | $22,800 | 16.4 yrs | None |
| Wisconsin | $3.00 | 17¢ | 4.2 | $23,500 | 14.1 yrs | Focus on Energy solar rebate |
| Wyoming | $2.90 | 11.5¢ | 5.3 | $23,200 | 16.3 yrs | None |
Net cost is installed cost minus any state incentive still open — no federal credit, because there is not one for homeowners any more. Payback divides net cost by first-year bill offset, holding the rate flat. Both are modelled from EIA rates and NREL sun hours, not quoted by an installer.