Is solar worth it in New York City in 2026?
A roof in New York City produces about 1,279 kWh a year per kW of panels. For a home with a $150 monthly bill, a 4.8 kW system costs about $18,682 at New York's median price and pays for itself in roughly 10.4 years, with no federal tax credit.
1,279kWh per kW a year
Source: PVGIS, NSRDB data
29.4¢per kWh
Source: EIA, 2026 year to date
$3.90per watt
Source: Berkeley Lab
Calculator · 2026 data, no federal tax credit
How long would solar take to pay for itself?
Simple payback
10.4 years
- System size
- 4.8 kW
- Installed cost
- $18,682
- Savings, year one
- $1,800
- Net over 25 years
- $23,719
Sized to cover your yearly use at today's price. Panels lose 0.5% a year; prices held flat. Method
How New York City homes get paid for solar
Export rules are set at the state and utility level, not by the city. New York City is under New York's full net metering: Residential exports are credited kWh for kWh (net metering) for most utility customers, but systems installed since Jan 1, 2022 pay a monthly Customer Benefit Contribution per kW. The full rules, incentives and sources are on theNew York page.
Why the city matters
Two things change from one city to another in the same state: the sun, which sets how many panels you need, and the utility, which sets what exported power is worth. New York City gets 1,279 kWh per kW a year on a south-facing roof at a 20° tilt, so covering a year of use for a $150 bill at 29.4¢ takes about 4.8 kW, roughly 12 panels of 400 W. Electricity prices in the calculator are the New York residential average; your utility's rate can be higher or lower, so put your own bill in.
Method: how we calculate payback. Compare all states in theranking or size a system with the panel calculator.