Utility Check
2026 federal credit: 30%

Solar Payback Calculator

Is solar worth it for your home? Enter your bill and system specs to see payback, 25-year savings, and federal tax credit.

Your home and system

Typical residential: 6–10 kW. 8 kW covers most US homes.

2026 US average: ~$2.80–$3.50/W before incentives.

CA/AZ: ~5.5 • TX/FL: ~4.8 • NY/PA: ~4.0 • New England: ~3.8

Payback period

8.1 years

After payback you keep 17 years of "free" electricity from the panels.

Cost & 25-year value

Gross system cost
$25,600
Federal tax credit (30%)
−$7,680
Net cost
$17,920
Year 1 production
11,169 kWh
Year 1 bill savings
$2,010
% of bill offset
93%
25-yr savings
$68,538
25-yr net (savings − net cost)
$50,618

Find utility and state solar rebates first

Stack rebates on top of the federal credit before you sign any solar contract.