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Solar Panel Cost and Local Installer Options
Published September 24, 2026 · Last updated September 30, 2026
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The short answer
Home solar costs about $3.00 to $4.50 per watt installed. A typical 6 to 10 kilowatt system works out to about $18,000 to $45,000 before any local incentives.
Big change: the 30% federal tax credit for home solar ended for systems finished after December 31, 2025. If a quote still takes 30% off for it, the real price is higher.
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Solar snapshot
- Installed cost
- $3.00 to $4.50 per watt
- A 6 to 10 kilowatt system
- About $18,000 to $45,000
- Federal 30% tax credit
- Ended for systems finished after December 31, 2025
- Biggest price movers
- System size, your roof, equipment, how you pay
Per-watt source: HomeGuide, data updated 2024. System totals are our math from those numbers.
Not a quote, offer or approval. Your price comes from the provider. Last updated September 2026.
What affects your solar price
Price range
Solar costs about $3.00 to $4.50 per watt before incentives. For a 6 to 10 kilowatt system, that's about $18,000 to $45,000.
Not a quote or an offer. Your price comes from the installer. Per-watt source: HomeGuide (data updated 2024). System totals are our math from those numbers.
What moves the number
- System size. It depends on how much power you use. Your electric bills tell the installer this.
- Your roof. Shade, the direction it faces, and its age all matter. An old roof may need replacing first.
- Equipment. Panel brand, inverters, and batteries all change the price. Batteries add a lot.
- Local rules and incentives. Some states and power companies still offer rebates.
- How you pay. Buying, getting a loan, or leasing all cost different amounts over time.
Is solar worth it without the tax credit?
It depends on where you live. Solar tends to pay off best when your electric rates are high, you get lots of sun, and your power company pays fairly for extra power you send back. That payment setup is called net metering, and the rules vary by state and keep changing.
Ask each installer to show you the payback math using your real bills, with no federal credit included. Then check the numbers yourself.
Buy, loan, lease, or PPA?
Buy with cash. Costs the most up front, but you keep all the savings.
Solar loan. You own the system and pay it off over time. Compare the APR and total cost.
Lease. You rent the panels for a monthly fee. Little or no money down, but you save less, and it can make selling your home harder.
Power purchase agreement (PPA). A company owns the panels on your roof and sells you the power. Similar trade-offs to a lease.
Do you need a battery?
A battery stores extra solar power for night or for outages. It adds a lot to the cost. It may make more sense if your power company pays little for extra power, or if you want backup during outages. A generator is another backup option.
What to ask before you choose
- "Is your price counting the federal tax credit?" It ended after 2025.
- "How much will I save each month, and how did you figure that?" Ask to see the math using your real bills.
- "How does my power company pay me for extra power?"
- "Am I buying, leasing, or signing a power deal?"
- "What happens if my roof needs work later?" Ask what it costs to take the panels off and put them back.
The catch: some solar sellers still promise the 30% federal tax credit. For systems finished after 2025, it's gone. Check every savings number yourself before you sign. And if you signed at home, the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule usually gives you 3 days to cancel.
Keep reading
Need a new roof first? See roof replacement. Paying over time? Compare a home equity loan.
More home systems: HVAC · Water heaters · Tankless water heaters · Plumbing · Electrical · Generators · Insulation · Water treatment · Repair or replace your HVAC · All home projects
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