Solar panel cost by state in 2026
A home solar system installed in 2025 cost a median $3.60 per watt in the US, so a 6 kW system runs about $21,600 and a 10 kW system about $36,000 before any incentive. There is no federal tax credit to subtract for systems installed in 2026.
What drives the price
Berkeley Lab publishes a state median only where it has enough systems. Among those 13 states, the cheapest is Washington at $3.00 per watt and the most expensive is North Carolina at $4.10. The other states in the table use the US median of $3.60.
How you pay changes the price more than where you live. Berkeley Lab found loan-financed systems priced at a median $4.50 per watt against $3.00 for cash purchases in 2025, before any interest. Seesolar lease vs buy.
The right size depends on your use, not on a standard package. The last column shows the system that covers a year of use for a home with a $150 monthly bill at the state's electricity price, and what it costs. Whether that pays off is in the payback ranking.
Cost in all 50 states
| State | Median $/W | 6 kW system | 8 kW system | 10 kW system | System for a $150 bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $3.00 | $18,000 | $24,000 | $30,000 | 11.2 kW · $33,482 |
| Arizona | $3.10 | $18,600 | $24,800 | $31,000 | 6.6 kW · $20,395 |
| Florida | $3.10 | $18,600 | $24,800 | $31,000 | 7.9 kW · $24,526 |
| California | $3.30 | $19,800 | $26,400 | $33,000 | 3.2 kW · $10,659 |
| Connecticut | $3.30 | $19,800 | $26,400 | $33,000 | 4.8 kW · $16,004 |
| Massachusetts | $3.40 | $20,400 | $27,200 | $34,000 | 4.5 kW · $15,441 |
| Oregon | $3.40 | $20,400 | $27,200 | $34,000 | 10.5 kW · $35,641 |
| Alabama | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 7.7 kW · $27,571 |
| Alaska | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 7.4 kW · $26,460 |
| Arkansas | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 9.3 kW · $33,553 |
| Colorado | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 6.8 kW · $24,576 |
| Delaware | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 7.6 kW · $27,383 |
| Georgia | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 8.0 kW · $28,683 |
| Hawaii | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 2.3 kW · $8,389 |
| Idaho | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 9.5 kW · $34,176 |
| Illinois | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 7.8 kW · $28,190 |
| Indiana | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 8.2 kW · $29,456 |
| Iowa | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 9.3 kW · $33,653 |
| Kansas | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 7.8 kW · $28,252 |
| Kentucky | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 9.3 kW · $33,637 |
| Louisiana | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 9.3 kW · $33,406 |
| Maine | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 4.7 kW · $16,894 |
| Michigan | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 6.7 kW · $24,097 |
| Minnesota | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 8.6 kW · $31,008 |
| Mississippi | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 8.2 kW · $29,604 |
| Missouri | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 9.3 kW · $33,323 |
| Montana | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 9.7 kW · $34,952 |
| Nebraska | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 10.1 kW · $36,453 |
| Nevada | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 7.5 kW · $27,059 |
| New Hampshire | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 5.3 kW · $19,136 |
| New Mexico | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 6.6 kW · $23,741 |
| North Dakota | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 11.8 kW · $42,658 |
| Ohio | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 7.6 kW · $27,372 |
| Oklahoma | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 8.6 kW · $30,885 |
| Pennsylvania | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 6.5 kW · $23,315 |
| Rhode Island | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 4.7 kW · $16,968 |
| South Carolina | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 7.6 kW · $27,228 |
| South Dakota | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 9.1 kW · $32,812 |
| Tennessee | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 9.7 kW · $35,048 |
| Utah | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 9.2 kW · $33,047 |
| Vermont | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 6.3 kW · $22,775 |
| Virginia | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 7.5 kW · $27,038 |
| West Virginia | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 9.3 kW · $33,591 |
| Wyoming | $3.60* | $21,600 | $28,800 | $36,000 | 8.3 kW · $29,911 |
| New Jersey | $3.70 | $22,200 | $29,600 | $37,000 | 5.7 kW · $20,961 |
| New York | $3.90 | $23,400 | $31,200 | $39,000 | 4.8 kW · $18,682 |
| Wisconsin | $3.90 | $23,400 | $31,200 | $39,000 | 7.3 kW · $28,377 |
| Maryland | $4.00 | $24,000 | $32,000 | $40,000 | 6.3 kW · $25,283 |
| Texas | $4.00 | $24,000 | $32,000 | $40,000 | 7.8 kW · $31,026 |
| North Carolina | $4.10 | $24,600 | $32,800 | $41,000 | 8.5 kW · $34,665 |
* US median, because Berkeley Lab does not publish a median for that state. Prices are medians for host-owned residential systems installed in 2025, in 2025 dollars per watt (DC), before incentives. A quote for your roof can be higher or lower. State incentives, where they exist, are on each state's page.