Solar Panel Cost & Payback in Wisconsin
Home solar in Wisconsin pays back in a median 13.6 years across the 96 places we cover, at an average electricity price of 19.0¢/kWh and about $3.90 per watt installed. Oregon has the fastest payback (13.3 years).
Solar estimates for Wisconsin cities and towns
Sorted by fastest payback. Each figure is for a system sized to an average Wisconsin home (645 kWh/month).
| Place | kWh per kW | System | Cost | Payback | 25-yr savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 1,368 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.3 yrs | $26,472 |
| Beloit | 1,367 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.3 yrs | $26,436 |
| Sussex | 1,365 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.3 yrs | $26,363 |
| Stoughton | 1,354 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.4 yrs | $25,962 |
| Fort Atkinson | 1,354 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.4 yrs | $25,962 |
| Racine | 1,349 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.4 yrs | $25,780 |
| New Berlin | 1,348 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.4 yrs | $25,743 |
| Fitchburg | 1,348 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.4 yrs | $25,743 |
| Platteville | 1,348 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.4 yrs | $25,743 |
| Janesville | 1,346 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.4 yrs | $25,670 |
| Plover | 1,346 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.4 yrs | $25,670 |
| Monroe | 1,345 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.5 yrs | $25,634 |
| Waukesha | 1,343 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.5 yrs | $25,561 |
| Ashwaubenon | 1,343 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.5 yrs | $25,561 |
| Shorewood | 1,343 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.5 yrs | $25,561 |
| Waunakee | 1,343 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.5 yrs | $25,561 |
| Tomah | 1,342 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.5 yrs | $25,524 |
| Somers | 1,341 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.5 yrs | $25,488 |
| Hartland | 1,341 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.5 yrs | $25,488 |
| Verona | 1,340 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.5 yrs | $25,451 |
| Howard | 1,339 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.5 yrs | $25,415 |
| Elkhorn | 1,339 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.5 yrs | $25,415 |
| Stevens Point | 1,338 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.5 yrs | $25,379 |
| Mount Pleasant | 1,337 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.5 yrs | $25,342 |
| Menomonee Falls | 1,336 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.5 yrs | $25,306 |
| Burlington | 1,336 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.5 yrs | $25,306 |
| Richfield | 1,335 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.5 yrs | $25,269 |
| Milwaukee | 1,334 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,233 |
| Oak Creek | 1,334 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,233 |
| Sparta | 1,334 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,233 |
| Whitewater | 1,333 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,196 |
| Eau Claire | 1,332 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,160 |
| Wauwatosa | 1,332 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,160 |
| Wausau | 1,332 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,160 |
| Germantown | 1,332 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,160 |
| Cudahy | 1,332 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,160 |
| Baraboo | 1,332 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,160 |
| Saint Francis | 1,332 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,160 |
| South Milwaukee | 1,330 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,087 |
| Salem | 1,330 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,087 |
| Portage | 1,330 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,087 |
| Reedsburg | 1,330 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,087 |
| Kenosha | 1,329 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,050 |
| Beaver Dam | 1,329 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,050 |
| Greendale | 1,329 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,050 |
| Holmen | 1,329 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,050 |
| Franklin | 1,328 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,014 |
| Middleton | 1,328 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $25,014 |
| Hudson | 1,327 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $24,978 |
| Brown Deer | 1,327 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $24,978 |
| Caledonia | 1,326 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $24,941 |
| Pleasant Prairie | 1,326 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $24,941 |
| Glendale | 1,326 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $24,941 |
| West Allis | 1,325 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $24,905 |
| Kaukauna | 1,325 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $24,905 |
| Weston | 1,325 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $24,905 |
| Whitefish Bay | 1,325 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $24,905 |
| De Pere | 1,324 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $24,868 |
| Watertown | 1,324 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $24,868 |
| Little Chute | 1,324 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.6 yrs | $24,868 |
| Hartford | 1,323 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.7 yrs | $24,832 |
| Brookfield | 1,322 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.7 yrs | $24,795 |
| Chippewa Falls | 1,321 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.7 yrs | $24,759 |
| Muskego | 1,320 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.7 yrs | $24,722 |
| Wisconsin Rapids | 1,320 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.7 yrs | $24,722 |
| Waupun | 1,320 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.7 yrs | $24,722 |
| Green Bay | 1,319 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.7 yrs | $24,686 |
| Sheboygan | 1,319 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.7 yrs | $24,686 |
| West Bend | 1,319 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.7 yrs | $24,686 |
| Allouez | 1,318 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.7 yrs | $24,649 |
| Mequon | 1,316 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.7 yrs | $24,577 |
| River Falls | 1,316 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.7 yrs | $24,577 |
| Madison | 1,314 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.7 yrs | $24,504 |
| Sun Prairie | 1,314 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.7 yrs | $24,504 |
| Onalaska | 1,314 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.7 yrs | $24,504 |
| Suamico | 1,312 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.8 yrs | $24,431 |
| Bellevue | 1,311 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.8 yrs | $24,394 |
| Grafton | 1,311 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.8 yrs | $24,394 |
| La Crosse | 1,309 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.8 yrs | $24,321 |
| Greenfield | 1,308 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.8 yrs | $24,285 |
| Menomonie | 1,308 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.8 yrs | $24,285 |
| Marshfield | 1,307 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.8 yrs | $24,248 |
| Menasha | 1,307 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.8 yrs | $24,248 |
| Oconomowoc | 1,307 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.8 yrs | $24,248 |
| Marinette | 1,307 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.8 yrs | $24,248 |
| Fond du Lac | 1,304 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.8 yrs | $24,139 |
| Appleton | 1,303 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.8 yrs | $24,103 |
| North La Crosse | 1,301 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.9 yrs | $24,030 |
| Cedarburg | 1,301 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.9 yrs | $24,030 |
| Merrill | 1,301 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.9 yrs | $24,030 |
| Oshkosh | 1,297 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.9 yrs | $23,884 |
| Neenah | 1,296 | 6.0 kW | $23,400 | 13.9 yrs | $23,847 |
| Manitowoc | 1,275 | 6.4 kW | $24,960 | 14.1 yrs | $24,621 |
| Two Rivers | 1,271 | 6.4 kW | $24,960 | 14.1 yrs | $24,465 |
| Port Washington | 1,249 | 6.4 kW | $24,960 | 14.4 yrs | $23,610 |
| Superior | 1,239 | 6.4 kW | $24,960 | 14.5 yrs | $23,221 |