Is Solar Worth It in My State? The 2026 State-by-State Answer
One national answer cannot tell you if solar is worth it — your state's electricity rate, sun, net metering, and incentives decide it. Here is how to get your personal answer in 60 seconds.
By The PVFig Editorial Team · 2026-08-10 · reviewed against EIA, NREL and DSIRE sources
Four numbers decide your answer
Your electricity rate, your state's solar production, your net metering policy, and your state incentives. Massachusetts (30¢/kWh, full retail, SMART) pays back in ~7.6 years; Idaho (12.5¢, avoided cost) takes 18+. Same panels, 2.4× difference.
The 60-second way to find out
Run the PVFig 30-second worth-it quiz — five questions about your state, bill, roof, and plans return a green/yellow/red verdict with reasons. Then confirm with the ROI calculator using your actual rate and usage.
Rule-of-thumb patterns
Green: high-rate states (HI, MA, NY, CT, ME, NJ, CA) or strong-incentive states (NY, MA, NJ, MD, IL). Yellow: mid-rate states with full-retail metering (FL, CO, NC). Red: cheap-power or weak-metering states (ID, ND, MO, NE, TN, AL, KY) unless you self-consume heavily.
FAQ
How do I know if solar is worth it in my state?
Check your state guide on PVFig, then run the ROI calculator with your real bill. The four inputs that matter: rate, production, net metering, incentives.
Which states is solar most worth it in 2026?
Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Maryland — high rates and/or strong incentives deliver 7–9 year paybacks.
In which states is solar not worth it?
Cheap-power states with weak export credits — Idaho, North Dakota, Missouri, Nebraska, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky — where payback exceeds 15 years without heavy self-consumption.
Ready to compare real installer quotes?
The estimates above are based on public data — your actual price depends on your roof, installer, and market. EnergySage collects quotes from pre-screened installers in one place (free, no obligation).
Compare quotes on EnergySage →
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Sources
- U.S. EIA — electricity rates by state, eia.gov/electricity/monthly
- NREL PVWatts v8 — solar production by location, pvwatts.nrel.gov
- DSIRE — state incentives and net metering, dsireusa.org
- See how every figure on this page is calculated — PVFig methodology.
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