How much does solar panel installation cost on average?

Nationally, solar panel installation costs about $22,000, with most homeowners paying $15,000 – $37,000. Your local price depends on labor rates, materials and scope, and code — pick your city below for a local figure.

What is the most affordable solar panel installation option?

5 kW (small home) is typically the lowest-cost option at around $16,000 nationally, while premium options cost considerably more.

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Solar Panel Installation Cost (2026)

By the HomeCostLens editorial team · Cost data reviewed July 2026 · National averages, adjusted locally on each city page.

~$22,000

National average cost of solar panel installation on a typical home (~7 kW system) in 2026.

Typical range: $15,000 – $37,000

Source: NREL / EnergySage benchmarks + DSIRE, 2026 (pre-incentive)

A solar panel installation costs about $22,000 nationally, but the real number depends heavily on where you live. HomeCostLens starts from this researched national average and applies a local price factor for each metro, so you get a figure that reflects your city's labor, climate, and permit costs — not a one-size-fits-all national number.

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Solar Panel Installation cost by system size

System size	Typical national total
5 kW (small home)	$16,000
7 kW (typical home)	$22,000
10 kW (large home)	$31,000
12 kW (high usage)	$37,000
7 kW + battery storage	$32,000

Solar Panel Installation cost by system size (national)

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Solar Panel Installation cost by city

Local cost = national average × each metro's location factor. Pick your city:

City	Location factor	Avg. solar panel installation
New York, NY	1.13	$24,750
Los Angeles, CA	1.16	$25,410
Chicago, IL	1.03	$22,570
Dallas, TX	1.03	$22,730
Houston, TX	1.00	$22,040
Washington, DC	1.09	$23,890
Philadelphia, PA	1.03	$22,770
Miami, FL	1.12	$24,600
Atlanta, GA	1.01	$22,200
Boston, MA	1.12	$24,550
Phoenix, AZ	1.05	$23,210
San Francisco, CA	1.18	$26,000
Seattle, WA	1.13	$24,860
Minneapolis, MN	1.04	$22,990
San Diego, CA	1.11	$24,530
Tampa, FL	1.03	$22,750
Denver, CO	1.05	$23,210
Baltimore, MD	1.03	$22,590
Charlotte, NC	0.97	$21,340
Orlando, FL	1.01	$22,240
Detroit, MI	0.98	$21,560
Riverside, CA	1.08	$23,740
San Antonio, TX	0.94	$20,610
Portland, OR	1.07	$23,450
St. Louis, MO	0.96	$21,190
Sacramento, CA	1.09	$23,960
Pittsburgh, PA	0.94	$20,770
Las Vegas, NV	0.97	$21,430
Austin, TX	0.98	$21,470
Cincinnati, OH	0.94	$20,700
Kansas City, MO	0.93	$20,530
Columbus, OH	0.94	$20,790
Cleveland, OH	0.93	$20,460
Indianapolis, IN	0.95	$20,810
Nashville, TN	0.97	$21,430
San Jose, CA	1.13	$24,840
Virginia Beach, VA	0.97	$21,430
Providence, RI	1.01	$22,200
Milwaukee, WI	0.95	$21,010
Jacksonville, FL	0.99	$21,820
Memphis, TN	0.92	$20,330
Oklahoma City, OK	0.91	$20,020
Louisville, KY	0.94	$20,680
Hartford, CT	1.03	$22,570
Richmond, VA	0.98	$21,560
New Orleans, LA	0.91	$20,040
Buffalo, NY	0.94	$20,770
Raleigh, NC	0.98	$21,560
Birmingham, AL	0.93	$20,370
Salt Lake City, UT	0.96	$21,210
Fresno, CA	1.04	$22,880
Bakersfield, CA	1.02	$22,530
Stockton, CA	1.08	$23,670
Modesto, CA	1.05	$23,120
Oxnard, CA	1.14	$25,010
Tucson, AZ	0.95	$20,880
Albuquerque, NM	0.94	$20,590
El Paso, TX	0.91	$19,980
McAllen, TX	0.86	$18,940
Tulsa, OK	0.90	$19,800
Omaha, NE	0.93	$20,350
Wichita, KS	0.89	$19,670
Des Moines, IA	0.93	$20,420
Grand Rapids, MI	0.95	$20,900
Toledo, OH	0.91	$19,930
Dayton, OH	0.92	$20,310
Akron, OH	0.93	$20,440
Madison, WI	0.96	$21,100
Knoxville, TN	0.92	$20,280
Chattanooga, TN	0.92	$20,330
Greenville, SC	0.93	$20,480
Columbia, SC	0.93	$20,500
Charleston, SC	1.01	$22,240
Greensboro, NC	0.93	$20,440
Winston-Salem, NC	0.92	$20,150
Durham, NC	0.97	$21,410
Little Rock, AR	0.90	$19,690
Baton Rouge, LA	0.91	$20,060
Jackson, MS	0.90	$19,760
Lexington, KY	0.93	$20,350
Pensacola, FL	0.96	$21,080
Fort Myers, FL	1.03	$22,680
Sarasota, FL	1.04	$22,920
Lakeland, FL	0.98	$21,490
Melbourne, FL	1.01	$22,290
Boise, ID	0.94	$20,720
Colorado Springs, CO	0.98	$21,580
Spokane, WA	1.01	$22,200
Ogden, UT	0.96	$21,140
Provo, UT	0.96	$21,050
Albany, NY	0.98	$21,600
Syracuse, NY	0.96	$21,050
Worcester, MA	1.03	$22,660
Springfield, MA	0.98	$21,580
New Haven, CT	1.05	$23,190
Bridgeport, CT	1.07	$23,540
Allentown, PA	0.99	$21,760
Harrisburg, PA	0.97	$21,340
Scranton, PA	0.93	$20,550
Lancaster, PA	0.97	$21,300

Frequently asked questions

How much does solar panel installation cost on average?: Nationally, solar panel installation costs about $22,000, with most homeowners paying $15,000 – $37,000. Your local price depends on labor rates, materials and scope, and code — pick your city below for a local figure.
What is the most affordable solar panel installation option?: 5 kW (small home) is typically the lowest-cost option at around $16,000 nationally, while premium options cost considerably more.