2026 Solar Cost by State
Compare the same cash-purchase scenario across regions using stored solar-price assumptions, electricity data and production/export-value inputs. These are modeled comparisons, not a survey of current installer bids or a promise of household savings.
50 states + DC + Puerto Rico · stored pricing data updated June 30, 2026
- $2.20–$2.55
- $2.55–$2.62
- $2.62–$2.75
- $2.75–$2.95
- $2.95–$3.66
Open data · free to reuse (CC BY 4.0)
Download CSV| Alabama | $2.45 | $0.16 | 4.8 | 1.00 | 10.4 yr |
| Alaska | $2.95 | $0.27 | 3.2 | 1.00 | 11.3 yr |
| Arizona | $2.45 | $0.15 | 6.5 | 0.70 | 10.2 yr |
| Arkansas | $2.50 | $0.13 | 4.9 | 1.00 | 12.3 yr |
| California | $2.90 | $0.33 | 5.5 | 0.25 | 10.7 yr |
| Colorado | $2.70 | $0.16 | 5.2 | 1.00 | 10.6 yr |
| Connecticut | $3.10 | $0.29 | 4.3 | 1.00 | 8.7 yr |
| Delaware | $2.80 | $0.18 | 4.5 | 1.00 | 11.5 yr |
| District of Columbia | $3.00 | $0.23 | 4.4 | 1.00 | 9.9 yr |
| Florida | $2.40 | $0.15 | 5.2 | 1.00 | 10.1 yr |
| Georgia | $2.55 | $0.15 | 5.0 | 1.00 | 11.2 yr |
| Hawaii | $3.40 | $0.41 | 5.6 | 0.50 | 8.2 yr |
| Idaho | $2.55 | $0.12 | 4.9 | 1.00 | 13.2 yr |
| Illinois | $2.85 | $0.18 | 4.1 | 1.00 | 11.1 yr |
| Indiana | $2.65 | $0.17 | 4.3 | 0.80 | 13.1 yr |
| Iowa | $2.60 | $0.14 | 4.4 | 1.00 | 13.1 yr |
| Kansas | $2.60 | $0.15 | 5.0 | 1.00 | 11.3 yr |
| Kentucky | $2.55 | $0.14 | 4.4 | 0.75 | 15.0 yr |
| Louisiana | $2.55 | $0.13 | 4.8 | 1.00 | 12.8 yr |
| Maine | $2.95 | $0.29 | 4.2 | 1.00 | 8.7 yr |
| Maryland | $2.80 | $0.22 | 4.5 | 1.00 | 9.4 yr |
| Massachusetts | $3.16 | $0.30 | 4.3 | 1.00 | 8.2 yr |
| Michigan | $2.95 | $0.20 | 4.0 | 0.70 | 13.8 yr |
| Minnesota | $2.80 | $0.16 | 4.5 | 1.00 | 12.3 yr |
| Mississippi | $2.55 | $0.15 | 4.9 | 0.90 | 12.1 yr |
| Missouri | $2.60 | $0.14 | 4.7 | 1.00 | 12.7 yr |
| Montana | $2.70 | $0.14 | 4.5 | 1.00 | 13.5 yr |
| Nebraska | $2.55 | $0.13 | 4.9 | 1.00 | 12.8 yr |
| Nevada | $2.45 | $0.13 | 6.0 | 0.75 | 11.8 yr |
| New Hampshire | $3.66 | $0.26 | 4.2 | 1.00 | 11.0 yr |
| New Jersey | $2.95 | $0.23 | 4.4 | 1.00 | 9.8 yr |
| New Mexico | $2.55 | $0.15 | 6.2 | 1.00 | 9.3 yr |
| New York | $3.10 | $0.28 | 4.0 | 1.00 | 8.8 yr |
| North Carolina | $2.50 | $0.14 | 4.9 | 0.85 | 12.4 yr |
| North Dakota | $2.70 | $0.12 | 4.5 | 1.00 | 14.6 yr |
| Ohio | $2.70 | $0.18 | 4.0 | 1.00 | 12.1 yr |
| Oklahoma | $2.50 | $0.14 | 5.0 | 0.90 | 12.5 yr |
| Oregon | $2.75 | $0.15 | 4.0 | 1.00 | 13.7 yr |
| Pennsylvania | $2.75 | $0.20 | 4.1 | 1.00 | 11.0 yr |
| Puerto Rico | $3.30 | $0.24 | 5.3 | 1.00 | 9.0 yr |
| Rhode Island | $3.05 | $0.29 | 4.2 | 1.00 | 8.8 yr |
| South Carolina | $2.55 | $0.15 | 4.9 | 1.00 | 11.0 yr |
| South Dakota | $2.65 | $0.14 | 4.7 | 1.00 | 12.7 yr |
| Tennessee | $2.55 | $0.14 | 4.7 | 0.80 | 14.1 yr |
| Texas | $2.20 | $0.16 | 5.3 | 1.00 | 9.1 yr |
| Utah | $2.55 | $0.13 | 5.3 | 0.70 | 13.8 yr |
| Vermont | $3.00 | $0.23 | 4.0 | 1.00 | 10.6 yr |
| Virginia | $2.65 | $0.16 | 4.6 | 1.00 | 11.7 yr |
| Washington | $2.75 | $0.14 | 3.7 | 1.00 | 15.8 yr |
| West Virginia | $2.70 | $0.16 | 4.3 | 1.00 | 12.7 yr |
| Wisconsin | $2.80 | $0.18 | 4.2 | 1.00 | 11.7 yr |
| Wyoming | $2.65 | $0.14 | 4.9 | 1.00 | 12.2 yr |
The net-metering factor is a simplified export-value input, not a guarantee of an individual utility tariff. “Typical payback” means the modeled break-even year for a $150/month bill and cash purchase; “—” means the model does not break even within 25 years. Puerto Rico data remains in the table, but is not linked to a state calculator because that route is not available.
Methodology & sources
The payback rows use the same calculation function as the solar cost calculator, with identical reference inputs. Different user settings produce different results. Installed prices and regional factors remain model assumptions; a published energy source does not validate those construction prices.
- NREL references support solar-resource modeling; modeled production is not measured output at a home.
- U.S. EIA supplies the energy-price snapshot, with trailing electricity averages through April 2026.
- DSIRE and program references support incentive and export-policy research. Confirm the applicable utility program and eligibility before relying on a stored summary.
- Credit input in this residential cash-purchase model is 0%. This is a displayed model input, not individualized tax advice; verify current policy and project dates with the relevant official source.
The reference uses $150/month, 400 W panels, performance ratio 0.8, assumed annual electricity-price escalation of 3.5%, and panel degradation of 0.5% over 25 years. See the method and the pricing-provenance limitations.
Stored data updated June 30, 2026; this wording revision did not refresh prices.
Cite this dataset
Ballpark Lab. “2026 Residential Solar Cost by State.” Updated June 30, 2026. ballparklab.com/reports/solar-cost-2026
Free to reuse with attribution (CC BY 4.0) — a link back to this page is all we ask. Citing one state? Every row has a stable anchor, e.g. ballparklab.com/reports/solar-cost-2026#california.