Enter your ZIP code and monthly electric bill to see what size solar system you need, what it costs in your state, how long it takes to pay for itself and how much you could save.
Free quotes from vetted local installers. No obligation.
Your total bill savings compared with the price of the system, paying cash
A typical year. Most homes still pay a small monthly utility fee.
How each option changes what you pay each month and what you keep over 25 years
| Way to pay | Upfront | Monthly, year 1 | You keep over 25 years |
|---|
The calculator turns your monthly bill into a yearly power use, then sizes a solar system to cover it. It uses your state's average electricity price, how much sun your area gets, and current installed solar prices to estimate your cost, your new bill and your savings.
| Result | What it means |
|---|---|
| Savings over 25 years | Your total bill savings over 25 years, minus what you paid for the system. Panels usually last that long or longer. |
| System size | How many kilowatts (kW) of panels you need. Most homes use 400 to 430 watt panels, so 10 kW is about 24 panels. |
| Price before incentives | The installed price, including panels, inverters, permits and labor. State or utility rebates can lower it. |
| Pays for itself in | How many years of bill savings it takes to cover the price when you pay cash. Under 10 years is strong. |
| New monthly bill | What you would pay your utility in an average month with solar. Most utilities keep a small fixed fee. |
Most homes need between 6 and 15 kW. The two things that matter most are how much power you use and how much sun you get. A home in Arizona needs fewer panels than the same home in Washington because each panel makes more power.
A quick rule: divide the kWh you used in the last 12 months by the yearly power 1 kW makes in your state, shown in the table below. For example, a home using 13,000 kWh a year in Florida, where 1 kW makes about 1,450 kWh, needs about 9 kW.
You can check any quote with simple math. You need three numbers: your yearly power use, how much power 1 kW of panels makes where you live, and the price per watt.
If a quote is well above your state's price per watt, ask what is included. Batteries, roof work, premium panels and dealer fees on loans can all raise the price.
Average installed price per watt before incentives, the cost of a 10 kW system, the average home electricity price and how much power 1 kW of panels makes in a year. The calculator uses these numbers for your state.
| State | Price per watt | 10 kW system | Power price | kWh per kW a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $2.65 | $26,500 | 16.3¢ | 1,380 |
| Alaska | $2.80 | $28,000 | 29.4¢ | 865 |
| Arizona | $2.16 | $21,600 | 15.1¢ | 1,750 |
| Arkansas | $2.62 | $26,200 | 14.4¢ | 1,400 |
| California | $2.80 | $28,000 | 29.8¢ | 1,620 |
| Colorado | $2.68 | $26,800 | 17.2¢ | 1,535 |
| Connecticut | $2.95 | $29,500 | 24.5¢ | 1,205 |
| Delaware | $2.72 | $27,200 | 18.7¢ | 1,225 |
| District of Columbia | $2.95 | $29,500 | 26.0¢ | 1,200 |
| Florida | $2.12 | $21,200 | 15.4¢ | 1,450 |
| Georgia | $2.48 | $24,800 | 15.9¢ | 1,435 |
| Hawaii | $2.70 | $27,000 | 47.2¢ | 1,610 |
| Idaho | $2.56 | $25,600 | 13.4¢ | 1,230 |
| Illinois | $2.82 | $28,200 | 19.3¢ | 1,125 |
| Indiana | $2.60 | $26,000 | 17.0¢ | 1,135 |
| Iowa | $2.80 | $28,000 | 17.1¢ | 1,185 |
| Kansas | $2.56 | $25,600 | 15.5¢ | 1,440 |
| Kentucky | $2.45 | $24,500 | 13.8¢ | 1,205 |
| Louisiana | $2.70 | $27,000 | 12.9¢ | 1,415 |
| Maine | $2.85 | $28,500 | 32.1¢ | 1,165 |
| Maryland | $2.82 | $28,200 | 21.4¢ | 1,210 |
| Massachusetts | $3.35 | $33,500 | 30.5¢ | 1,160 |
| Michigan | $2.78 | $27,800 | 23.0¢ | 1,100 |
| Minnesota | $2.84 | $28,400 | 17.2¢ | 1,040 |
| Mississippi | $2.70 | $27,000 | 14.4¢ | 1,370 |
| Missouri | $2.54 | $25,400 | 16.0¢ | 1,295 |
| Montana | $2.68 | $26,800 | 15.6¢ | 1,155 |
| Nebraska | $2.80 | $28,000 | 13.5¢ | 1,290 |
| Nevada | $2.36 | $23,600 | 12.7¢ | 1,720 |
| New Hampshire | $3.18 | $31,800 | 27.6¢ | 1,130 |
| New Jersey | $2.88 | $28,800 | 24.6¢ | 1,210 |
| New Mexico | $2.44 | $24,400 | 16.5¢ | 1,700 |
| New York | $3.18 | $31,800 | 28.7¢ | 1,145 |
| North Carolina | $2.52 | $25,200 | 15.0¢ | 1,375 |
| North Dakota | $2.75 | $27,500 | 13.3¢ | 1,135 |
| Ohio | $2.58 | $25,800 | 19.4¢ | 1,090 |
| Oklahoma | $2.60 | $26,000 | 14.8¢ | 1,435 |
| Oregon | $2.62 | $26,200 | 15.9¢ | 1,070 |
| Pennsylvania | $2.70 | $27,000 | 21.8¢ | 1,170 |
| Rhode Island | $3.10 | $31,000 | 28.2¢ | 1,170 |
| South Carolina | $2.50 | $25,000 | 15.8¢ | 1,435 |
| South Dakota | $2.70 | $27,000 | 15.2¢ | 1,390 |
| Tennessee | $2.52 | $25,200 | 13.4¢ | 1,385 |
| Texas | $2.24 | $22,400 | 15.9¢ | 1,460 |
| Utah | $2.48 | $24,800 | 13.3¢ | 1,515 |
| Vermont | $3.05 | $30,500 | 23.8¢ | 1,075 |
| Virginia | $2.62 | $26,200 | 17.6¢ | 1,265 |
| Washington | $2.58 | $25,800 | 14.6¢ | 970 |
| West Virginia | $2.60 | $26,000 | 16.3¢ | 1,095 |
| Wisconsin | $2.80 | $28,000 | 19.4¢ | 1,095 |
| Wyoming | $2.70 | $27,000 | 14.4¢ | 1,400 |
Electricity prices and average bills come from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (August 2026). Installed prices per watt are based on published 2026 installer pricing by state. Yearly power per kW is based on typical south-facing home systems in each state. Credit for extra power sent to the grid is our estimate for each state, since some states pay less than the full retail price. We update these numbers as prices change.
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