Solar Panel Cost & Payback in Michigan
Home solar in Michigan pays back in a median 15.9 years across the 120 places we cover, at an average electricity price of 21.5¢/kWh and about $3.60 per watt installed. Power sent back to the grid earns only about 10.8¢/kWh (Distributed generation inflow/outflow), which lengthens payback. Lambertville has the fastest payback (15.5 years).
Solar estimates for Michigan cities and towns
Sorted by fastest payback. Each figure is for a system sized to an average Michigan home (618 kWh/month).
| Place | kWh per kW | System | Cost | Payback | 25-yr savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lambertville | 1,326 | 5.6 kW | $20,160 | 15.5 yrs | $15,628 |
| Benton Harbor | 1,322 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.6 yrs | $16,629 |
| Woodhaven | 1,321 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.6 yrs | $16,600 |
| Ferndale | 1,315 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.7 yrs | $16,427 |
| Highland Park | 1,314 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.7 yrs | $16,398 |
| Romulus | 1,312 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.7 yrs | $16,340 |
| Inkster | 1,311 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.7 yrs | $16,311 |
| Birmingham | 1,311 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.7 yrs | $16,311 |
| Clawson | 1,311 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.7 yrs | $16,311 |
| Beverly Hills | 1,311 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.7 yrs | $16,311 |
| Niles | 1,310 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.7 yrs | $16,282 |
| Royal Oak | 1,305 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $16,137 |
| Oak Park | 1,305 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $16,137 |
| Adrian | 1,304 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $16,108 |
| Hamtramck | 1,303 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $16,080 |
| Fraser | 1,303 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $16,080 |
| Grosse Pointe Park | 1,303 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $16,080 |
| Livonia | 1,302 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $16,051 |
| Warren | 1,301 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $16,022 |
| Allen Park | 1,301 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $16,022 |
| Southfield | 1,300 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $15,993 |
| Pontiac | 1,300 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $15,993 |
| Roseville | 1,300 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $15,993 |
| Canton | 1,299 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $15,964 |
| Berkley | 1,299 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $15,964 |
| Sturgis | 1,299 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $15,964 |
| Holland | 1,298 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $15,935 |
| Garden City | 1,298 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $15,935 |
| Riverview | 1,298 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $15,935 |
| Grand Haven | 1,298 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $15,935 |
| Sterling Heights | 1,297 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $15,906 |
| Farmington Hills | 1,297 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $15,906 |
| Okemos | 1,297 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $15,906 |
| Haslett | 1,297 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $15,906 |
| Grosse Pointe Woods | 1,297 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.8 yrs | $15,906 |
| Battle Creek | 1,296 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,877 |
| Hazel Park | 1,296 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,877 |
| Troy | 1,295 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,848 |
| Madison Heights | 1,295 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,848 |
| Norton Shores | 1,295 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,848 |
| Coldwater | 1,295 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,848 |
| Waterford | 1,294 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,819 |
| Novi | 1,294 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,819 |
| Port Huron | 1,294 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,819 |
| East Lansing | 1,293 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,790 |
| Trenton | 1,293 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,790 |
| Melvindale | 1,293 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,790 |
| Marysville | 1,292 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,761 |
| Detroit | 1,291 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,733 |
| Taylor | 1,291 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,733 |
| Dearborn Heights | 1,291 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,733 |
| Redford | 1,291 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,733 |
| Dearborn | 1,290 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,704 |
| Rochester Hills | 1,290 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,704 |
| Eastpointe | 1,290 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,704 |
| Waverly | 1,290 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,704 |
| Harper Woods | 1,290 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,704 |
| Flat Rock | 1,290 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,704 |
| Clinton Township | 1,289 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,675 |
| Bay City | 1,289 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,675 |
| Saginaw | 1,288 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,646 |
| Walker | 1,288 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,646 |
| Muskegon Heights | 1,288 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,646 |
| Grosse Pointe Farms | 1,288 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 15.9 yrs | $15,646 |
| Southgate | 1,287 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,617 |
| Wixom | 1,287 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,617 |
| Westland | 1,286 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,588 |
| Rochester | 1,286 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,588 |
| South Lyon | 1,286 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,588 |
| Ann Arbor | 1,285 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,559 |
| West Bloomfield Township | 1,285 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,559 |
| Muskegon | 1,285 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,559 |
| Lincoln Park | 1,285 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,559 |
| Burton | 1,285 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,559 |
| Allendale | 1,285 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,559 |
| Kalamazoo | 1,284 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,530 |
| Auburn Hills | 1,284 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,530 |
| Howell | 1,284 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,530 |
| Owosso | 1,283 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,501 |
| Farmington | 1,283 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,501 |
| Jackson | 1,282 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,472 |
| Monroe | 1,282 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,472 |
| Alma | 1,282 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,472 |
| Lansing | 1,280 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,414 |
| Kentwood | 1,279 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,386 |
| Wayne | 1,279 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,386 |
| Cutlerville | 1,279 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.0 yrs | $15,386 |
| Portage | 1,278 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.1 yrs | $15,357 |
| Holt | 1,276 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.1 yrs | $15,299 |
| Ypsilanti | 1,276 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.1 yrs | $15,299 |
| Midland | 1,275 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.1 yrs | $15,270 |
| Saint Clair Shores | 1,273 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.1 yrs | $15,212 |
| Beecher | 1,273 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.1 yrs | $15,212 |
| Flint | 1,271 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.1 yrs | $15,154 |
| Saginaw Township North | 1,271 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.1 yrs | $15,154 |
| Wyoming | 1,270 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.1 yrs | $15,125 |
| Mount Pleasant | 1,270 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.1 yrs | $15,125 |
| Mount Clemens | 1,270 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.1 yrs | $15,125 |
| Fenton | 1,270 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.1 yrs | $15,125 |
| Wyandotte | 1,269 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.1 yrs | $15,096 |
| Comstock Park | 1,269 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.1 yrs | $15,096 |
| Forest Hills | 1,268 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.2 yrs | $15,067 |
| Ionia | 1,268 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.2 yrs | $15,067 |
| Ecorse | 1,268 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.2 yrs | $15,067 |
| Grand Rapids | 1,267 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.2 yrs | $15,039 |
| Cadillac | 1,266 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.2 yrs | $15,010 |
| Belmont | 1,266 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.2 yrs | $15,010 |
| Shelby | 1,265 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.2 yrs | $14,981 |
| Northview | 1,265 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.2 yrs | $14,981 |
| Grosse Ile | 1,265 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.2 yrs | $14,981 |
| Big Rapids | 1,265 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.2 yrs | $14,981 |
| Jenison | 1,261 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.2 yrs | $14,865 |
| Grandville | 1,261 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.2 yrs | $14,865 |
| New Baltimore | 1,252 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.3 yrs | $14,605 |
| Escanaba | 1,246 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.4 yrs | $14,431 |
| Alpena | 1,243 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.4 yrs | $14,344 |
| Sault Ste. Marie | 1,240 | 6.0 kW | $21,600 | 16.5 yrs | $14,258 |
| East Grand Rapids | 1,232 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 16.6 yrs | $14,961 |
| Traverse City | 1,225 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 16.6 yrs | $14,746 |
| Marquette | 1,213 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 16.8 yrs | $14,375 |