Solar Panel Cost & Payback in North Carolina
Home solar in North Carolina pays back in a median 16.4 years across the 95 places we cover, at an average electricity price of 14.9¢/kWh and about $4.10 per watt installed. Morehead City has the fastest payback (15.7 years).
Solar estimates for North Carolina cities and towns
Sorted by fastest payback. Each figure is for a system sized to an average North Carolina home (1,015 kWh/month).
| Place | kWh per kW | System | Cost | Payback | 25-yr savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morehead City | 1,507 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 15.7 yrs | $26,040 |
| High Point | 1,484 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 15.9 yrs | $25,117 |
| Piney Green | 1,482 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 15.9 yrs | $25,037 |
| Mooresville | 1,472 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.0 yrs | $24,635 |
| Mount Holly | 1,472 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.0 yrs | $24,635 |
| Cornelius | 1,468 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.1 yrs | $24,475 |
| Lewisville | 1,466 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.1 yrs | $24,394 |
| Goldsboro | 1,464 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.1 yrs | $24,314 |
| Belmont | 1,464 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.1 yrs | $24,314 |
| Huntersville | 1,463 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.1 yrs | $24,274 |
| Lexington | 1,463 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.1 yrs | $24,274 |
| Fayetteville | 1,461 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.1 yrs | $24,194 |
| Kernersville | 1,460 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.1 yrs | $24,154 |
| Fort Bragg | 1,459 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.1 yrs | $24,114 |
| Harrisburg | 1,457 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.2 yrs | $24,033 |
| Newton | 1,457 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.2 yrs | $24,033 |
| Gastonia | 1,456 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.2 yrs | $23,993 |
| Kannapolis | 1,456 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.2 yrs | $23,993 |
| Statesville | 1,454 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.2 yrs | $23,913 |
| Spring Lake | 1,454 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.2 yrs | $23,913 |
| Davidson | 1,453 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.2 yrs | $23,873 |
| Smithfield | 1,453 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.2 yrs | $23,873 |
| Winterville | 1,453 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.2 yrs | $23,873 |
| Salisbury | 1,452 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.2 yrs | $23,833 |
| Lumberton | 1,451 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.2 yrs | $23,792 |
| Elizabeth City | 1,451 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.2 yrs | $23,792 |
| Kings Mountain | 1,451 | 8.4 kW | $34,440 | 16.2 yrs | $23,792 |
| Kinston | 1,449 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.2 yrs | $24,841 |
| Hope Mills | 1,449 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.2 yrs | $24,841 |
| Laurinburg | 1,449 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.2 yrs | $24,841 |
| Lincolnton | 1,445 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.3 yrs | $24,673 |
| Rocky Mount | 1,444 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.3 yrs | $24,631 |
| Holly Springs | 1,444 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.3 yrs | $24,631 |
| Garner | 1,444 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.3 yrs | $24,631 |
| Shelby | 1,444 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.3 yrs | $24,631 |
| Masonboro | 1,443 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.3 yrs | $24,589 |
| Dunn | 1,443 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.3 yrs | $24,589 |
| Wilson | 1,442 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.3 yrs | $24,547 |
| Hickory | 1,442 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.3 yrs | $24,547 |
| Clemmons | 1,441 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.3 yrs | $24,505 |
| Greenville | 1,437 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.3 yrs | $24,337 |
| Thomasville | 1,437 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.3 yrs | $24,337 |
| Mint Hill | 1,437 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.3 yrs | $24,337 |
| Summerfield | 1,437 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.3 yrs | $24,337 |
| Clayton | 1,436 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.4 yrs | $24,295 |
| Albemarle | 1,436 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.4 yrs | $24,295 |
| Winston-Salem | 1,435 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.4 yrs | $24,253 |
| Tarboro | 1,434 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.4 yrs | $24,211 |
| Concord | 1,432 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.4 yrs | $24,127 |
| Matthews | 1,431 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.4 yrs | $24,085 |
| Indian Trail | 1,429 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.4 yrs | $24,000 |
| Fuquay-Varina | 1,425 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.5 yrs | $23,832 |
| Pinehurst | 1,425 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.5 yrs | $23,832 |
| Greensboro | 1,424 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.5 yrs | $23,790 |
| Waxhaw | 1,421 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.5 yrs | $23,664 |
| Jacksonville | 1,420 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.5 yrs | $23,622 |
| Asheboro | 1,419 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.5 yrs | $23,580 |
| Reidsville | 1,419 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.5 yrs | $23,580 |
| Elon | 1,419 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.5 yrs | $23,580 |
| Apex | 1,417 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.5 yrs | $23,496 |
| Charlotte | 1,416 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.6 yrs | $23,454 |
| Havelock | 1,416 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.6 yrs | $23,454 |
| Weddington | 1,416 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.6 yrs | $23,454 |
| Monroe | 1,415 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.6 yrs | $23,412 |
| Stallings | 1,415 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.6 yrs | $23,412 |
| Southern Pines | 1,415 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.6 yrs | $23,412 |
| Washington | 1,415 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.6 yrs | $23,412 |
| Burlington | 1,412 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.6 yrs | $23,286 |
| New Bern | 1,407 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.6 yrs | $23,076 |
| Rockingham | 1,406 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.7 yrs | $23,033 |
| Asheville | 1,405 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.7 yrs | $22,991 |
| Archdale | 1,404 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.7 yrs | $22,949 |
| Mebane | 1,403 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.7 yrs | $22,907 |
| Graham | 1,402 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.7 yrs | $22,865 |
| Hendersonville | 1,402 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.7 yrs | $22,865 |
| Murraysville | 1,396 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.8 yrs | $22,613 |
| Roanoke Rapids | 1,392 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.8 yrs | $22,445 |
| Mount Airy | 1,390 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.8 yrs | $22,361 |
| Lenoir | 1,389 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.8 yrs | $22,319 |
| Morganton | 1,387 | 8.8 kW | $36,080 | 16.9 yrs | $22,235 |
| Henderson | 1,382 | 9.2 kW | $37,720 | 16.9 yrs | $23,026 |
| Knightdale | 1,382 | 9.2 kW | $37,720 | 16.9 yrs | $23,026 |
| Raleigh | 1,379 | 9.2 kW | $37,720 | 16.9 yrs | $22,894 |
| Eden | 1,379 | 9.2 kW | $37,720 | 16.9 yrs | $22,894 |
| Sanford | 1,377 | 9.2 kW | $37,720 | 17.0 yrs | $22,806 |
| Wake Forest | 1,376 | 9.2 kW | $37,720 | 17.0 yrs | $22,762 |
| Wilmington | 1,374 | 9.2 kW | $37,720 | 17.0 yrs | $22,674 |
| Morrisville | 1,374 | 9.2 kW | $37,720 | 17.0 yrs | $22,674 |
| Durham | 1,373 | 9.2 kW | $37,720 | 17.0 yrs | $22,630 |
| Chapel Hill | 1,367 | 9.2 kW | $37,720 | 17.1 yrs | $22,366 |
| Carrboro | 1,367 | 9.2 kW | $37,720 | 17.1 yrs | $22,366 |
| Leland | 1,361 | 9.2 kW | $37,720 | 17.1 yrs | $22,102 |
| Cary | 1,352 | 9.2 kW | $37,720 | 17.2 yrs | $21,707 |
| Waynesville | 1,347 | 9.2 kW | $37,720 | 17.3 yrs | $21,487 |
| Boone | 1,315 | 9.6 kW | $39,360 | 17.6 yrs | $20,954 |