Solar Worth-It CalculatorIs solar worth it in your state?
Updated October 2026
Your state changes three things that drive payback: what you pay for electricity, how much sun your roof gets, and how your utility credits the power you send to the grid. Here's how the same home looks across 14 states.
Illustrative estimate, not a utility-bill forecast. These use one typical home ($200/month bill, 8 kW at the state average price) and simplified yearly export rules. Time-of-use rates (most of California, parts of Arizona) can change results a lot. Run your own bill and quote in the calculator.
| State | Rate | Output kWh/kW | Export | Yearly surplus | Avg $/W (EnergySage, Oct 2026) | 8 kW example payback* | Value today* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. average | $0.18 | 1,300 | 60% | 50% | $2.60 | 16.8 yrs | -$2,695 |
| Arizona | $0.15 | 1,650 | 40% | 40% | $2.27 | 16.1 yrs | -$1,556 |
| California | $0.35 | 1,550 | 20% | 20% | $2.52 | 8.0 yrs | $12,820 |
| Colorado | $0.17 | 1,500 | 100% | 50% | $2.64 | 10.9 yrs | $4,277 |
| Connecticut | $0.24 | 1,200 | 90% | 50% | $2.68 | 10.3 yrs | $5,958 |
| Florida | $0.15 | 1,400 | 100% | 50% | $2.12 | 10.7 yrs | $3,597 |
| Illinois | $0.20 | 1,250 | 60% | 50% | $2.95 | 17.6 yrs | -$4,118 |
| Maryland | $0.22 | 1,250 | 100% | 50% | $2.57 | 9.8 yrs | $6,989 |
| Massachusetts | $0.30 | 1,200 | 90% | 50% | $2.90 | 9.4 yrs | $9,597 |
| New Jersey | $0.25 | 1,250 | 100% | 50% | $2.59 | 8.7 yrs | $10,668 |
| New York | $0.29 | 1,200 | 90% | 50% | $2.76 | 9.2 yrs | $10,007 |
| North Carolina | $0.15 | 1,350 | 80% | 50% | $2.45 | 16.3 yrs | -$2,028 |
| Pennsylvania | $0.22 | 1,200 | 100% | 50% | $2.60 | 10.3 yrs | $5,565 |
| Texas | $0.16 | 1,450 | 40% | 40% | $2.25 | 17.1 yrs | -$2,563 |
*Example: $200/month bill, 8 kW system at that state's average price per watt, cash purchase, no local incentives, 50% of solar used at home, 0% electricity price growth, 5% discount rate for value today. Values are illustrative — your utility, roof and quote will differ.
State guides
- Is solar worth it in Pennsylvania (2026)?
- More state guides are on the way. Meanwhile, pick your state in the calculator.
Sources
- Electricity rates: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (June 2026)
- Price per watt: EnergySage solar cost data (state table updated Oct 2, 2026)
- Output: typical values based on NREL PVWatts patterns; export rules are simplified summaries — see how we calculate.
Have a real quote? The Excel & Google Sheets kit runs the same math, then gives a YES/NO verdict, the most you should pay, a 3-quote compare, loan vs lease, and battery and roof checks.
Get the workbook ↗Run your own numbers. Pick your state, enter your bill and quote — free, no signup.
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