Is Solar Worth It in My State? The 2026 State-by-State Answer

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.

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.