Solar Panel Cost & Payback in Minnesota
Home solar in Minnesota pays back in a median 14.5 years across the 104 places we cover, at an average electricity price of 16.3¢/kWh and about $3.60 per watt installed. Minnetonka Mills has the fastest payback (14.1 years).
Solar estimates for Minnesota cities and towns
Sorted by fastest payback. Each figure is for a system sized to an average Minnesota home (712 kWh/month).
| Place | kWh per kW | System | Cost | Payback | 25-yr savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnetonka Mills | 1,374 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.1 yrs | $22,657 |
| Hopkins | 1,374 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.1 yrs | $22,657 |
| Minnetonka | 1,360 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.2 yrs | $22,191 |
| Burnsville | 1,354 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.3 yrs | $21,992 |
| Maple Grove | 1,353 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.3 yrs | $21,959 |
| Worthington | 1,353 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.3 yrs | $21,959 |
| Faribault | 1,352 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.3 yrs | $21,925 |
| Eden Prairie | 1,351 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.3 yrs | $21,892 |
| Marshall | 1,351 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.3 yrs | $21,892 |
| Savage | 1,350 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.3 yrs | $21,859 |
| Saint Cloud | 1,349 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,826 |
| Plymouth | 1,348 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,792 |
| Hutchinson | 1,348 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,792 |
| Fergus Falls | 1,348 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,792 |
| Alexandria | 1,348 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,792 |
| Owatonna | 1,347 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,759 |
| North Saint Paul | 1,347 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,759 |
| Ramsey | 1,346 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,726 |
| Mankato | 1,345 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,693 |
| North Mankato | 1,345 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,693 |
| Columbia Heights | 1,344 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,659 |
| Waseca | 1,344 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,659 |
| Woodbury | 1,343 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,626 |
| Apple Valley | 1,343 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,626 |
| Saint Louis Park | 1,343 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,626 |
| Edina | 1,342 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,593 |
| White Bear Lake | 1,342 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,593 |
| New Ulm | 1,342 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,593 |
| Bloomington | 1,341 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,560 |
| Richfield | 1,341 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,560 |
| Roseville | 1,341 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,560 |
| Elk River | 1,341 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,560 |
| Otsego | 1,341 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,560 |
| Fridley | 1,340 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,526 |
| Monticello | 1,340 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,526 |
| Fairmont | 1,340 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,526 |
| Chaska | 1,339 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.4 yrs | $21,493 |
| New Brighton | 1,338 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.5 yrs | $21,460 |
| Golden Valley | 1,338 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.5 yrs | $21,460 |
| Northfield | 1,338 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.5 yrs | $21,460 |
| Brooklyn Park | 1,337 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.5 yrs | $21,426 |
| Lakeville | 1,337 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.5 yrs | $21,426 |
| Maplewood | 1,337 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.5 yrs | $21,426 |
| Andover | 1,337 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.5 yrs | $21,426 |
| Brooklyn Center | 1,337 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.5 yrs | $21,426 |
| Oakdale | 1,337 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.5 yrs | $21,426 |
| Ham Lake | 1,336 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.5 yrs | $21,393 |
| Willmar | 1,335 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.5 yrs | $21,360 |
| Rogers | 1,335 | 6.4 kW | $23,040 | 14.5 yrs | $21,360 |
| Hastings | 1,334 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.5 yrs | $22,660 |
| Forest Lake | 1,334 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.5 yrs | $22,660 |
| Saint Michael | 1,334 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.5 yrs | $22,660 |
| Bemidji | 1,334 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.5 yrs | $22,660 |
| Minneapolis | 1,333 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.5 yrs | $22,624 |
| Shakopee | 1,333 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.5 yrs | $22,624 |
| Shoreview | 1,333 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.5 yrs | $22,624 |
| Stillwater | 1,333 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.5 yrs | $22,624 |
| Big Lake | 1,333 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.5 yrs | $22,624 |
| South Saint Paul | 1,332 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.5 yrs | $22,589 |
| Albert Lea | 1,332 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.5 yrs | $22,589 |
| Sauk Rapids | 1,330 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.5 yrs | $22,518 |
| Mendota Heights | 1,329 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.5 yrs | $22,483 |
| Rochester | 1,328 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.5 yrs | $22,448 |
| Arden Hills | 1,328 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.5 yrs | $22,448 |
| Austin | 1,327 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,412 |
| Anoka | 1,326 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,377 |
| Buffalo | 1,326 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,377 |
| Saint Paul | 1,325 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,342 |
| West Saint Paul | 1,325 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,342 |
| West Coon Rapids | 1,324 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,306 |
| Rosemount | 1,324 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,306 |
| Sartell | 1,324 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,306 |
| Robbinsdale | 1,324 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,306 |
| Crystal | 1,323 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,271 |
| New Hope | 1,323 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,271 |
| Hugo | 1,323 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,271 |
| Saint Peter | 1,323 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,271 |
| North Branch | 1,323 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,271 |
| Eagan | 1,322 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,236 |
| Champlin | 1,321 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,200 |
| Red Wing | 1,320 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,165 |
| East Bethel | 1,320 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,165 |
| Mounds View | 1,319 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,130 |
| Longfellow Community | 1,318 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,094 |
| Mound | 1,318 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.6 yrs | $22,094 |
| Prior Lake | 1,317 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.7 yrs | $22,059 |
| Coon Rapids | 1,316 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.7 yrs | $22,024 |
| Hermantown | 1,316 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.7 yrs | $22,024 |
| Cloquet | 1,314 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.7 yrs | $21,953 |
| Little Canada | 1,312 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.7 yrs | $21,882 |
| Inver Grove Heights | 1,310 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.7 yrs | $21,812 |
| Brainerd | 1,309 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.7 yrs | $21,776 |
| Cottage Grove | 1,307 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.8 yrs | $21,706 |
| Grand Rapids | 1,305 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.8 yrs | $21,635 |
| Lino Lakes | 1,304 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.8 yrs | $21,599 |
| Vadnais Heights | 1,301 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.8 yrs | $21,493 |
| Blaine | 1,300 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.8 yrs | $21,458 |
| Chanhassen | 1,295 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.9 yrs | $21,281 |
| Waconia | 1,295 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.9 yrs | $21,281 |
| Moorhead | 1,294 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 14.9 yrs | $21,246 |
| Winona | 1,286 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 15.0 yrs | $20,963 |
| Farmington | 1,283 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 15.0 yrs | $20,857 |
| Hibbing | 1,268 | 6.8 kW | $24,480 | 15.1 yrs | $20,327 |
| Duluth | 1,250 | 7.2 kW | $25,920 | 15.3 yrs | $20,850 |