Solar Panel Cost by State (2026)

Last reviewed: October 20, 2026. Prices, rates and rules change. Every figure in the table links to its source and shows its month.

This page shows solar panel cost by state: the average installed price per watt that EnergySage publishes for each state, the average residential electricity rate from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, and how utilities credit the solar you send to the grid. Prices are averages before incentives. Your own quote depends on your roof, your equipment and your installer.

There is no federal tax credit for buyers in 2026. The homeowner credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025 (Solar.com). If you buy with cash or a loan, do not subtract 30% from a quote.

Solar panel cost by state

Values marked “pending review” come from the linked source but have not yet been checked by our editor. “Not yet verified” means we have not confirmed how utilities in that state credit solar you send to the grid.

How to read the table

• Electricity rate: the state’s average residential price per kWh. The rate on your own bill may be higher or lower, and it is the better number to use.
• Installed price: the average cost per watt including installation, before incentives. Multiply it by your system size in watts (a 7 kW system is 7,000 watts) for a rough total. Where EnergySage publishes no state figure, we show the national range instead.
• Exported solar credited at: panels often make more power than your home uses at that moment, and the extra goes to the grid. “Retail” means utilities credit it at about the retail rate. “Reduced” means they credit it below the retail rate, so your savings are lower than a full-retail estimate. “Not yet verified” means we have not confirmed the rule for that state yet, so ask your utility.
• Pending review: the value comes from the linked source, but our editor has not checked it yet.

Estimate your own cost

State averages are a starting point. Enter your ZIP code, your bill and the rate on your bill to see a cost, payback and 25-year savings estimate for your home.

Sources

• Installed prices: EnergySage state solar cost pages (each state’s figure links to its own page). National range: Earth911, citing EnergySage.
• Electricity rates: U.S. EIA, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (residential).
• Export credit rules: the state commission, utility or guide linked in each row.
• Federal tax credit: Solar.com: end of the residential solar tax credit.

See how solar savings are calculated and our editorial standards. For state-specific rules, read the Florida and Connecticut guides.

Some links on this page may be affiliate links. If you buy or sign up through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes the numbers our calculator shows. How we make money.