SolarSave

Is solar worth it?

Enter your monthly electric bill and state to estimate the system size, cost, 30% federal tax credit, annual savings, and payback period. Instant, no email, no signup — unlike the lead-capture forms most solar sites use.

California: ~5.5 peak sun hours/day, ~30¢/kWh. Assumes ~$3/watt installed and the 30% federal tax credit.

System size

3.7 kW

500 kWh/mo

Payback period

4.4 yrs

to break even

Cost after credit

$7,850

$11,214 − $3,364 ITC

Savings / year

$1,801

6,003 kWh/yr

Estimated 20-year net savings

$38,156

after system cost, with modest rate escalation

Rough estimate from state averages — not a quote. Your roof, shading, real usage, utility net-metering, and installer pricing change everything. The 30% federal tax credit is a credit against taxes owed; confirm eligibility with a tax professional.

Solar cost & payback by state

AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

Frequently asked questions

Is solar worth it?

It depends on your electricity rate, how sunny your area is, and the system cost. Solar pays back fastest where power is expensive and sun is plentiful — Hawaii, California, and the Northeast see 5–8 year paybacks, while cheap-power cloudy states take longer. The U.S. average payback is about 8.7 years. Enter your bill and state above for your estimate.

How much do solar panels cost?

A typical home system runs about $3 per watt installed before incentives, so a 6 kW system is around $18,000. The 30% federal tax credit brings that to about $12,600. Your cost scales with the system size you need, which depends on your electricity usage and local sun.

How does the solar tax credit work?

The federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (ITC) returns 30% of your solar system's cost as a credit against your federal taxes, through 2032. On a $20,000 system that's $6,000. It's a tax credit, not a rebate — you claim it when you file. Confirm your eligibility with a tax professional.

What size solar system do I need?

Enough to cover your target share of your electricity use. Divide your monthly kWh by your area's peak sun hours and days, adjusting for system losses. A home using 900 kWh a month needs roughly a 6–8 kW system, more in cloudier states. The calculator sizes it from your bill.