2026 standardized solar payback comparison
Every row models an 8 kW system. The benchmark system price is solar $/W × 8,000 W. Annual production is 8 kW × the state's planning solar yield. First-year energy value assumes every solar kWh offsets electricity at the state's residential retail rate. Simple payback is benchmark system cost divided by that first-year value.
| State | Solar $/W | 8 kW cost | Annual kWh | Rate ¢/kWh | 1st-year retail value | Simple payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama AL | $3.84 | $30,720 | 11,040 | 16.58 | $1,830 | 16.8 yr |
| Alaska AK | $2.60 national fallback | $20,800 | 8,000 | 26.86 | $2,149 | 9.7 yr |
| Arizona AZ | $2.28 | $18,240 | 13,680 | 15.45 | $2,114 | 8.6 yr |
| Arkansas AR | $2.39 | $19,120 | 10,960 | 13.43 | $1,472 | 13.0 yr |
| California CA | $2.52 | $20,160 | 12,640 | 33.17 | $4,193 | 4.8 yr |
| Colorado CO | $2.65 | $21,200 | 11,920 | 16.65 | $1,985 | 10.7 yr |
| Connecticut CT | $2.67 | $21,360 | 9,680 | 28.82 | $2,790 | 7.7 yr |
| Delaware DE | $2.64 | $21,120 | 10,560 | 17.74 | $1,873 | 11.3 yr |
| Florida FL | $2.12 | $16,960 | 11,600 | 15.36 | $1,782 | 9.5 yr |
| Georgia GA | $2.50 | $20,000 | 11,200 | 15.19 | $1,701 | 11.8 yr |
| Hawaii HI | $3.43 | $27,440 | 12,800 | 45.95 | $5,882 | 4.7 yr |
| Idaho ID | $3.00 | $24,000 | 10,880 | 12.80 | $1,393 | 17.2 yr |
| Illinois IL | $2.97 | $23,760 | 10,400 | 19.22 | $1,999 | 11.9 yr |
| Indiana IN | $2.72 | $21,760 | 10,080 | 17.11 | $1,725 | 12.6 yr |
| Iowa IA | $3.28 | $26,240 | 10,560 | 13.77 | $1,454 | 18.0 yr |
| Kansas KS | $2.63 | $21,040 | 11,600 | 15.19 | $1,762 | 11.9 yr |
| Kentucky KY | $2.53 | $20,240 | 10,560 | 14.37 | $1,517 | 13.3 yr |
| Louisiana LA | $2.33 | $18,640 | 11,120 | 13.51 | $1,502 | 12.4 yr |
| Maine ME | $2.94 | $23,520 | 9,360 | 29.67 | $2,777 | 8.5 yr |
| Maryland MD | $2.60 | $20,800 | 10,560 | 21.27 | $2,246 | 9.3 yr |
| Massachusetts MA | $2.91 | $23,280 | 9,680 | 30.06 | $2,910 | 8.0 yr |
| Michigan MI | $2.90 | $23,200 | 9,600 | 21.14 | $2,029 | 11.4 yr |
| Minnesota MN | $3.23 | $25,840 | 10,000 | 15.98 | $1,598 | 16.2 yr |
| Mississippi MS | $2.29 | $18,320 | 11,200 | 15.35 | $1,719 | 10.7 yr |
| Missouri MO | $2.50 | $20,000 | 10,880 | 13.45 | $1,463 | 13.7 yr |
| Montana MT | $2.52 | $20,160 | 10,720 | 13.77 | $1,476 | 13.7 yr |
| Nebraska NE | $2.60 national fallback | $20,800 | 11,280 | 12.70 | $1,433 | 14.5 yr |
| Nevada NV | $2.40 | $19,200 | 13,600 | 13.79 | $1,875 | 10.2 yr |
| New Hampshire NH | $2.88 | $23,040 | 9,520 | 26.83 | $2,554 | 9.0 yr |
| New Jersey NJ | $2.59 | $20,720 | 10,240 | 23.65 | $2,422 | 8.6 yr |
| New Mexico NM | $2.56 | $20,480 | 13,680 | 14.82 | $2,027 | 10.1 yr |
| New York NY | $2.76 | $22,080 | 9,680 | 29.26 | $2,832 | 7.8 yr |
| North Carolina NC | $2.43 | $19,440 | 11,120 | 14.90 | $1,657 | 11.7 yr |
| North Dakota ND | $2.60 national fallback | $20,800 | 10,400 | 12.19 | $1,268 | 16.4 yr |
| Ohio OH | $2.61 | $20,880 | 9,840 | 18.53 | $1,823 | 11.5 yr |
| Oklahoma OK | $2.62 | $20,960 | 11,920 | 13.37 | $1,594 | 13.2 yr |
| Oregon OR | $2.45 | $19,600 | 9,680 | 15.31 | $1,482 | 13.2 yr |
| Pennsylvania PA | $2.58 | $20,640 | 9,920 | 20.90 | $2,073 | 10.0 yr |
| Rhode Island RI | $2.77 | $22,160 | 9,760 | 29.45 | $2,874 | 7.7 yr |
| South Carolina SC | $2.59 | $20,720 | 11,280 | 16.04 | $1,809 | 11.5 yr |
| South Dakota SD | $2.60 national fallback | $20,800 | 11,120 | 14.33 | $1,593 | 13.1 yr |
| Tennessee TN | $3.52 | $28,160 | 10,880 | 13.90 | $1,512 | 18.6 yr |
| Texas TX | $2.25 | $18,000 | 11,840 | 16.11 | $1,907 | 9.4 yr |
| Utah UT | $2.60 national fallback | $20,800 | 12,240 | 13.17 | $1,612 | 12.9 yr |
| Vermont VT | $2.75 | $22,000 | 9,440 | 23.98 | $2,264 | 9.7 yr |
| Virginia VA | $2.54 | $20,320 | 10,720 | 16.69 | $1,789 | 11.4 yr |
| Washington WA | $2.53 | $20,240 | 8,960 | 14.35 | $1,286 | 15.7 yr |
| West Virginia WV | $2.60 national fallback | $20,800 | 9,760 | 15.42 | $1,505 | 13.8 yr |
| Wisconsin WI | $3.06 | $24,480 | 9,680 | 18.99 | $1,838 | 13.3 yr |
| Wyoming WY | $2.60 national fallback | $20,800 | 11,840 | 13.88 | $1,643 | 12.7 yr |
Why this is a screening benchmark, not your actual payback
- Exported solar may be credited below the retail electricity rate, so a home that exports heavily can realize less value than this standardized table implies.
- State, utility or local incentives can reduce project cost, while financing interest and dealer fees can increase it.
- Actual roof orientation, shade, weather and system losses can move production above or below the state planning yield.
- Fixed utility charges usually remain even when solar offsets most annual energy use.
- This table holds electricity rates flat and does not model panel degradation, maintenance or future rate escalation.
Sources and formula inputs
Solar pricing: EnergySage Marketplace residential solar pricing, updated September 11, 2026. States without a current state-specific benchmark use the clearly labeled $2.60/W national fallback.
Residential electricity rates: U.S. EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B, Year-to-date through June 2026.
Solar yield: State solar yield is a planning estimate derived from NREL residential PV resource-class ranges, not a site-specific PVWatts result.
Use this table to compare state-level economics consistently. Use the personalized calculator before making a household financial decision.