Solar Panel Installation Cost Trend (2026)
▼ down 2.2%
Year-over-year change in solar panel installation costs. National average now ~$22,000.
National avg: $22,000
Typical range: $15,000–$37,000
Since 2021: -11%
The national average cost of solar panel installation has fallen about 2.2% over the past year, reaching roughly $22,000 in 2026. Hardware keeps getting cheaper (installed prices near $2.75/W), but the headline number understates 2026 reality for homeowners.
The 2026 wrinkle EnergySage / DOE — installed $/W; IRS Sec. 25D
The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) expired December 31, 2025. Even though panel prices fell ~2%, the net cost most homeowners pay rose sharply in 2026 because that credit is gone — the single biggest change to solar economics this year.
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Solar Panel Installation cost trajectory, 2021–2026
Estimated national solar panel installation cost (indexed from BLS producer-price data)
Indexed estimate (2021 = 100) based on BLS Producer Price Index category data and skilled-trade wage growth; actual prices vary by city and scope.
Where solar panel installation costs the most & least
Local prices swing widely around the national average — driven by labor rates, climate, and permit costs. Here is how solar panel installation ranks across the 100 metros we track.
| Rank | Metro | Local factor | Avg. cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | 1.18 | $26,000 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | 1.16 | $25,410 |
| 3 | Oxnard, CA | 1.14 | $25,010 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | 1.13 | $24,860 |
| 5 | San Jose, CA | 1.13 | $24,840 |
| 6 | New York, NY | 1.13 | $24,750 |
| 7 | Miami, FL | 1.12 | $24,600 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | 1.12 | $24,550 |
| 9 | San Diego, CA | 1.11 | $24,530 |
| 10 | Sacramento, CA | 1.09 | $23,960 |
| 11 | Washington, DC | 1.09 | $23,890 |
| 12 | Riverside, CA | 1.08 | $23,740 |
| 13 | Stockton, CA | 1.08 | $23,670 |
| 14 | Bridgeport, CT | 1.07 | $23,540 |
| 15 | Portland, OR | 1.07 | $23,450 |
| 16 | Phoenix, AZ | 1.05 | $23,210 |
| 17 | Denver, CO | 1.05 | $23,210 |
| 18 | New Haven, CT | 1.05 | $23,190 |
| 19 | Modesto, CA | 1.05 | $23,120 |
| 20 | Minneapolis, MN | 1.04 | $22,990 |
| 21 | Sarasota, FL | 1.04 | $22,920 |
| 22 | Fresno, CA | 1.04 | $22,880 |
| 23 | Philadelphia, PA | 1.03 | $22,770 |
| 24 | Tampa, FL | 1.03 | $22,750 |
| 25 | Dallas, TX | 1.03 | $22,730 |
| 26 | Fort Myers, FL | 1.03 | $22,680 |
| 27 | Worcester, MA | 1.03 | $22,660 |
| 28 | Baltimore, MD | 1.03 | $22,590 |
| 29 | Chicago, IL | 1.03 | $22,570 |
| 30 | Hartford, CT | 1.03 | $22,570 |
| 31 | Bakersfield, CA | 1.02 | $22,530 |
| 32 | Melbourne, FL | 1.01 | $22,290 |
| 33 | Orlando, FL | 1.01 | $22,240 |
| 34 | Charleston, SC | 1.01 | $22,240 |
| 35 | Atlanta, GA | 1.01 | $22,200 |
| 36 | Providence, RI | 1.01 | $22,200 |
| 37 | Spokane, WA | 1.01 | $22,200 |
| 38 | Houston, TX | 1.00 | $22,040 |
| 39 | Jacksonville, FL | 0.99 | $21,820 |
| 40 | Allentown, PA | 0.99 | $21,760 |
| 41 | Albany, NY | 0.98 | $21,600 |
| 42 | Colorado Springs, CO | 0.98 | $21,580 |
| 43 | Springfield, MA | 0.98 | $21,580 |
| 44 | Detroit, MI | 0.98 | $21,560 |
| 45 | Richmond, VA | 0.98 | $21,560 |
| 46 | Raleigh, NC | 0.98 | $21,560 |
| 47 | Lakeland, FL | 0.98 | $21,490 |
| 48 | Austin, TX | 0.98 | $21,470 |
| 49 | Las Vegas, NV | 0.97 | $21,430 |
| 50 | Nashville, TN | 0.97 | $21,430 |
| 51 | Virginia Beach, VA | 0.97 | $21,430 |
| 52 | Durham, NC | 0.97 | $21,410 |
| 53 | Charlotte, NC | 0.97 | $21,340 |
| 54 | Harrisburg, PA | 0.97 | $21,340 |
| 55 | Lancaster, PA | 0.97 | $21,300 |
| 56 | Salt Lake City, UT | 0.96 | $21,210 |
| 57 | St. Louis, MO | 0.96 | $21,190 |
| 58 | Ogden, UT | 0.96 | $21,140 |
| 59 | Madison, WI | 0.96 | $21,100 |
| 60 | Pensacola, FL | 0.96 | $21,080 |
| 61 | Provo, UT | 0.96 | $21,050 |
| 62 | Syracuse, NY | 0.96 | $21,050 |
| 63 | Milwaukee, WI | 0.95 | $21,010 |
| 64 | Grand Rapids, MI | 0.95 | $20,900 |
| 65 | Tucson, AZ | 0.95 | $20,880 |
| 66 | Indianapolis, IN | 0.95 | $20,810 |
| 67 | Columbus, OH | 0.94 | $20,790 |
| 68 | Pittsburgh, PA | 0.94 | $20,770 |
| 69 | Buffalo, NY | 0.94 | $20,770 |
| 70 | Boise, ID | 0.94 | $20,720 |
| 71 | Cincinnati, OH | 0.94 | $20,700 |
| 72 | Louisville, KY | 0.94 | $20,680 |
| 73 | San Antonio, TX | 0.94 | $20,610 |
| 74 | Albuquerque, NM | 0.94 | $20,590 |
| 75 | Scranton, PA | 0.93 | $20,550 |
| 76 | Kansas City, MO | 0.93 | $20,530 |
| 77 | Columbia, SC | 0.93 | $20,500 |
| 78 | Greenville, SC | 0.93 | $20,480 |
| 79 | Cleveland, OH | 0.93 | $20,460 |
| 80 | Akron, OH | 0.93 | $20,440 |
| 81 | Greensboro, NC | 0.93 | $20,440 |
| 82 | Des Moines, IA | 0.93 | $20,420 |
| 83 | Birmingham, AL | 0.93 | $20,370 |
| 84 | Omaha, NE | 0.93 | $20,350 |
| 85 | Lexington, KY | 0.93 | $20,350 |
| 86 | Memphis, TN | 0.92 | $20,330 |
| 87 | Chattanooga, TN | 0.92 | $20,330 |
| 88 | Dayton, OH | 0.92 | $20,310 |
| 89 | Knoxville, TN | 0.92 | $20,280 |
| 90 | Winston-Salem, NC | 0.92 | $20,150 |
| 91 | Baton Rouge, LA | 0.91 | $20,060 |
| 92 | New Orleans, LA | 0.91 | $20,040 |
| 93 | Oklahoma City, OK | 0.91 | $20,020 |
| 94 | El Paso, TX | 0.91 | $19,980 |
| 95 | Toledo, OH | 0.91 | $19,930 |
| 96 | Tulsa, OK | 0.90 | $19,800 |
| 97 | Jackson, MS | 0.90 | $19,760 |
| 98 | Little Rock, AR | 0.90 | $19,690 |
| 99 | Wichita, KS | 0.89 | $19,670 |
| 100 | McAllen, TX | 0.86 | $18,940 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Are solar panel installation costs going up in 2026?
- On a hardware basis, no — solar panel installation prices have fallen about 2.2% over the past year. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) expired December 31, 2025. Even though panel prices fell ~2%, the net cost most homeowners pay rose sharply in 2026 because that credit is gone — the single biggest change to solar economics this year.
- What is the average cost of solar panel installation in 2026?
- The U.S. average is about $22,000 before local adjustment, typically ranging from $15,000 to $37,000 depending on scope and your city.
- Why have solar panel installation prices changed?
- Hardware keeps getting cheaper (installed prices near $2.75/W), but the headline number understates 2026 reality for homeowners.