Solar Panels in Meridian, MS: Cost, Payback & Savings
A typical 10.4 kW home solar system in Meridian costs about $37,440 and pays for itself in about 22.0 years, saving roughly $6,468 over 25 years at Mississippi's average electricity price of 15.2¢/kWh. Power you send back to the grid earns only about 6.1¢/kWh here, which is built into these numbers.
Monthly solar production in Meridian
Estimated output of a 10.4 kW south-facing roof system. May is the strongest month (1,419 kWh); Dec the weakest (806 kWh).
Solar production (kWh) Typical home use, 1,156 kWh/month
Solar payback calculator for Meridian
Pre-filled with Meridian's sunshine and Mississippi's average electricity price. Enter your own bill and an installer's price per watt to see your payback.
Leave export credit blank where the utility offers full net metering. Where exports earn less, solar used at home as it's produced is worth the full price and the rest earns the export credit.
How Meridian compares
- Each kW of panels here produces about 1,356 kWh a year — 5% less than the Mississippi median and about the same as the US median city (1,371 kWh).
- Payback ranks #44 of 45 Mississippi places we cover.
- Sunshine varies little across a state; electricity price, installed cost and how utilities credit exported power drive most of the difference between states.
Net metering, tax credits and incentives in 2026
Mississippi pays less than retail for exported solar power. Under Net renewable generation, power you send to the grid earns about 6.1¢/kWh, against 15.2¢ for power you buy. We assume 40% of a no-battery system's output is used at home as it's produced (worth the full price) and the rest is exported, so each solar kWh is worth about 9.7¢. Using more of your solar yourself, by running appliances midday or adding a battery, raises that.
Mississippi credits exports at the utility's avoided cost plus a 2.5¢ adder, about 6¢ in total. Source.
There is no federal tax credit for buying home solar installed in 2026. The 30% Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, so the costs and paybacks on this page include no federal credit.
Mississippi and local utilities may still offer rebates, performance payments, property-tax or sales-tax exemptions. Search the DSIRE incentives database for Mississippi and ask installers which programs they apply for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is solar worth it in Meridian, MS?
For a typical home, a solar system pays for itself in about 22.0 years and then keeps saving money. Over 25 years the estimated net savings are $6,468. Verdict: hard to justify on savings alone. Your own payback depends on your roof, your bill and the quotes you get.
How many solar panels do I need in Meridian, MS?
A home using 1,156 kWh a month (the Mississippi average) needs about 26 panels of 400 W — a 10.4 kW system — to cover its annual use. Divide your own yearly kWh by 1,356 to get the kW you need.
How much do solar panels cost in Meridian, MS?
At 3.60 dollars per watt, a 10.4 kW system costs about $37,440 before any state or utility incentives. There is no federal tax credit for systems installed in 2026.
How much sun does Meridian get?
Meridian averages 5.2 peak sun hours per day, so each kilowatt of panels produces about 1,356 kWh a year.
Does Mississippi have net metering?
Not full retail net metering. Under Net renewable generation, exported solar power earns about 6.1¢ per kWh, versus 15.2¢ for power bought from the grid. Solar you use at home as it's produced still saves the full price.
How much does electricity cost in Mississippi?
Residential electricity in Mississippi averages 15.2¢ per kWh, and a typical home uses 1,156 kWh a month (EIA).
Solar payback in nearby places
- Laurel21.9 yrs
- Brandon21.1 yrs
- Starkville20.9 yrs
- Petal22.0 yrs
- Hattiesburg21.7 yrs
- Canton21.4 yrs
- Columbus21.9 yrs
- Madison21.3 yrs