How much do solar panels cost in Texas in 2026?
$18,200 for a 7 kW system in Texas at $2.60 per watt installed, the EnergySage national average (June 2026), before any incentive: $13,000 for 5 kW, $26,000 for 10 kW, $31,200 for 12 kW. The federal 30% credit ended for systems placed in service after 31 December 2025, so there is nothing to take off unless your utility or city offers something. At Texas's 5.3 peak sun hours the 7 kW system makes 11,646 kWh a year, saves $1,856 at the state's 15.94 ¢/kWh (EIA, June 2026) if you use it all, and pays back in 9.8 years. The tables below price 4 to 15 kW, run the 7 kW system in every state and show the 25-year table.
Open the solar payback calculator
How much do 4 to 15 kW of solar panels cost in Texas?
Cost = kW × 1,000 × $2.60, the EnergySage average per watt before incentives. Panels are 400 W, rounded up to cover the size; output is the Texas figure (5.3 peak sun hours, 14% losses); savings value every kWh at the EIA residential price for Texas, 15.94 ¢/kWh (the national average is 18.34 ¢/kWh); payback = cost / savings. The payback is the same on every row because cost and output both scale with kW; your quote per watt, your rate and the share you export move it. Treat the $ per watt as a starting point: SolarReviews puts the average at $3.03 in September 2026.
| System size | Panels | Cost | Roof area | kWh a year | Savings a year | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 kW | 10 | $10,400 | 207 sq ft | 6,655 kWh | $1,061 | 9.8 years |
| 5 kW | 13 | $13,000 | 269 sq ft | 8,318 kWh | $1,326 | 9.8 years |
| 6 kW | 15 | $15,600 | 310 sq ft | 9,982 kWh | $1,591 | 9.8 years |
| 7 kW | 18 | $18,200 | 372 sq ft | 11,646 kWh | $1,856 | 9.8 years |
| 8 kW | 20 | $20,800 | 414 sq ft | 13,309 kWh | $2,122 | 9.8 years |
| 10 kW | 25 | $26,000 | 517 sq ft | 16,637 kWh | $2,652 | 9.8 years |
| 12 kW | 30 | $31,200 | 621 sq ft | 19,964 kWh | $3,182 | 9.8 years |
| 15 kW | 38 | $39,000 | 786 sq ft | 24,955 kWh | $3,978 | 9.8 years |
How does the payback change by state?
The same 7 kW system at $18,200 everywhere; the state’s peak sun hours (NREL data via Unbound Solar) change the output and the state’s residential price (EIA, June 2026) changes what each kWh is worth. A sunny state with cheap power can pay back slower than a cloudy one with dear power.
| State | Sun hours | Price | kWh a year | Savings a year | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 4.6 | 16.4 ¢/kWh | 10,108 kWh | $1,658 | 11 years |
| Alaska | 3 | 28.21 ¢/kWh | 6,592 kWh | $1,860 | 9.8 years |
| Arizona | 6.5 | 15.18 ¢/kWh | 14,282 kWh | $2,168 | 8.4 years |
| Arkansas | 4.5 | 14.12 ¢/kWh | 9,888 kWh | $1,396 | 13 years |
| California | 5.6 | 34.74 ¢/kWh | 12,305 kWh | $4,275 | 4.3 years |
| Colorado | 5.5 | 17.13 ¢/kWh | 12,085 kWh | $2,070 | 8.8 years |
| Connecticut | 4.2 | 24.32 ¢/kWh | 9,229 kWh | $2,244 | 8.1 years |
| Delaware | 4.4 | 19.29 ¢/kWh | 9,668 kWh | $1,865 | 9.8 years |
| District of Columbia | 4.4 | 24.39 ¢/kWh | 9,668 kWh | $2,358 | 7.7 years |
| Florida | 5.3 | 15.1 ¢/kWh | 11,646 kWh | $1,758 | 10.3 years |
| Georgia | 4.8 | 16.36 ¢/kWh | 10,547 kWh | $1,725 | 10.5 years |
| Hawaii | 5.8 | 52.72 ¢/kWh | 12,744 kWh | $6,719 | 2.7 years |
| Idaho | 4.9 | 14.37 ¢/kWh | 10,767 kWh | $1,547 | 11.8 years |
| Illinois | 4.3 | 19.89 ¢/kWh | 9,448 kWh | $1,879 | 9.7 years |
| Indiana | 4.2 | 17.51 ¢/kWh | 9,229 kWh | $1,616 | 11.3 years |
| Iowa | 4.4 | 15.93 ¢/kWh | 9,668 kWh | $1,540 | 11.8 years |
| Kansas | 5 | 15.71 ¢/kWh | 10,987 kWh | $1,726 | 10.5 years |
| Kentucky | 4.3 | 14.26 ¢/kWh | 9,448 kWh | $1,347 | 13.5 years |
| Louisiana | 4.7 | 13.49 ¢/kWh | 10,327 kWh | $1,393 | 13.1 years |
| Maine | 4.2 | 29.59 ¢/kWh | 9,229 kWh | $2,731 | 6.7 years |
| Maryland | 4.4 | 21.84 ¢/kWh | 9,668 kWh | $2,112 | 8.6 years |
| Massachusetts | 4.2 | 29.61 ¢/kWh | 9,229 kWh | $2,733 | 6.7 years |
| Michigan | 4 | 22.99 ¢/kWh | 8,789 kWh | $2,021 | 9 years |
| Minnesota | 4.3 | 17.52 ¢/kWh | 9,448 kWh | $1,655 | 11 years |
| Mississippi | 4.6 | 14.88 ¢/kWh | 10,108 kWh | $1,504 | 12.1 years |
| Missouri | 4.6 | 16.22 ¢/kWh | 10,108 kWh | $1,639 | 11.1 years |
| Montana | 4.7 | 15.14 ¢/kWh | 10,327 kWh | $1,564 | 11.6 years |
| Nebraska | 4.8 | 13.25 ¢/kWh | 10,547 kWh | $1,397 | 13 years |
| Nevada | 6.4 | 13.11 ¢/kWh | 14,063 kWh | $1,844 | 9.9 years |
| New Hampshire | 4.2 | 27.01 ¢/kWh | 9,229 kWh | $2,493 | 7.3 years |
| New Jersey | 4.3 | 24.95 ¢/kWh | 9,448 kWh | $2,357 | 7.7 years |
| New Mexico | 6.5 | 15.06 ¢/kWh | 14,282 kWh | $2,151 | 8.5 years |
| New York | 4 | 29.49 ¢/kWh | 8,789 kWh | $2,592 | 7 years |
| North Carolina | 4.7 | 14.74 ¢/kWh | 10,327 kWh | $1,522 | 12 years |
| North Dakota | 4.5 | 14.12 ¢/kWh | 9,888 kWh | $1,396 | 13 years |
| Ohio | 4.1 | 19.19 ¢/kWh | 9,009 kWh | $1,729 | 10.5 years |
| Oklahoma | 5.1 | 14.33 ¢/kWh | 11,206 kWh | $1,606 | 11.3 years |
| Oregon | 4.2 | 16.32 ¢/kWh | 9,229 kWh | $1,506 | 12.1 years |
| Pennsylvania | 4.1 | 21.73 ¢/kWh | 9,009 kWh | $1,958 | 9.3 years |
| Rhode Island | 4.2 | 29.23 ¢/kWh | 9,229 kWh | $2,698 | 6.7 years |
| South Carolina | 4.8 | 15.55 ¢/kWh | 10,547 kWh | $1,640 | 11.1 years |
| South Dakota | 4.7 | 15.36 ¢/kWh | 10,327 kWh | $1,586 | 11.5 years |
| Tennessee | 4.4 | 14.07 ¢/kWh | 9,668 kWh | $1,360 | 13.4 years |
| Texas | 5.3 | 15.94 ¢/kWh | 11,646 kWh | $1,856 | 9.8 years |
| Utah | 5.5 | 13.37 ¢/kWh | 12,085 kWh | $1,616 | 11.3 years |
| Vermont | 4 | 24.44 ¢/kWh | 8,789 kWh | $2,148 | 8.5 years |
| Virginia | 4.5 | 17.22 ¢/kWh | 9,888 kWh | $1,703 | 10.7 years |
| Washington | 3.8 | 14.91 ¢/kWh | 8,350 kWh | $1,245 | 14.6 years |
| West Virginia | 4.1 | 15.45 ¢/kWh | 9,009 kWh | $1,392 | 13.1 years |
| Wisconsin | 4.2 | 19.56 ¢/kWh | 9,229 kWh | $1,805 | 10.1 years |
| Wyoming | 5.2 | 15.24 ¢/kWh | 11,426 kWh | $1,741 | 10.5 years |
What does the 25-year table look like?
The 7 kW system in Texas: production falls by 0.5% a year, the price stays at 15.94 ¢/kWh (type an escalation in the calculator to change that), and the last column is cumulative savings minus the $18,200 cost. The payback calculator shows all 25 rows for any size, quote and rate.
| Year | kWh | Savings | Cumulative | Net of cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11,646 kWh | $1,856 | $1,856 | -$16,344 |
| 5 | 11,415 kWh | $1,819 | $9,189 | -$9,011 |
| 10 | 11,132 kWh | $1,774 | $18,151 | -$49 |
| 15 | 10,856 kWh | $1,731 | $26,891 | $8,691 |
| 20 | 10,588 kWh | $1,688 | $35,415 | $17,215 |
| 25 | 10,326 kWh | $1,646 | $43,727 | $25,527 |
What the tables leave out
- Your quote: $2.60 per watt is one published national average, not a Texas price. A steep or tiled roof, a main panel upgrade or a battery move it; a battery is not in these figures at all.
- Your use: the savings assume every kWh replaces bought electricity. A home empty all day exports more, and what your provider pays for that is set by its own tariff; the payback calculator has an export share and rate for that.
- Your size: the power-a-house guide and the panel calculator turn your kWh into a size before you price it here (or start from the house: solar panel cost for a 2,000 sq ft house, every state); the UK cost guide does the same sums in pounds.
- Not included: loan interest, maintenance, an inverter replacement around year 10-15, insurance, property-tax treatment, or a rise in the electricity price (the calculator has an escalation field).
Sources
Installed cost: EnergySage, "How much do solar panels cost?". Electricity price: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A "Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, by State, June 2026 and 2025", residential column, cents per kilowatthour, June 2026. Federal credit: IRS, Residential Clean Energy Credit. Export rate: none published nationally (the EIA table has no export rates). Sun hours: Unbound Solar, "Peak Sun Hours by US State", table built from NREL's PVWatts data; "A peak sun hour is one hour of sunlight at an average intensity of 1,000 watts per square meter". Panel: A 400 W panel is the middle of the Trina Vertex TSM-DE09 range and the common residential class in 2026; Trina Solar, Vertex TSM-DE09 data sheet, product range 390-405 W. Losses: NREL, PVWatts Version 5 Manual, section 11 System Losses, Table 6. Output decline: NREL, PVWatts Version 5 Manual, section 11. All read 2026-09-20; the full text of each source, with links, is under the calculator.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a 10 kW solar system cost in Texas?
- $26,000 installed at $2.60 per watt: 25 panels of 400 W on 517 sq ft of roof. It makes 16,637 kWh a year in Texas, saves $2,652 a year at 15.94 ¢/kWh and pays back in 9.8 years. EnergySage puts a 12 kW system at $31,135 on average, about the same $ per watt; three quotes replace the average.
- Is there still a federal solar tax credit in 2026?
- No. IRS, Residential Clean Energy Credit: "The credit is not available for any property placed in service after December 31, 2025." So the federal 30% credit does not apply to a system installed in 2026, and the cost table above is the full installed price. State, utility or local incentives may still apply; the payback calculator has an incentive field for a utility rebate or a local program if you have one.
- How long do solar panels take to pay for themselves in Texas?
- 9.8 years for any size at these presets, because cost and output both scale with the kW: $18,200 / $1,856 a year for 7 kW. With output falling 0.5% a year the cumulative savings pass the cost in year 11. Your quote per watt, your electricity rate and the share you export move it; the panel count does not.
- Where do solar panels pay back fastest and slowest?
- Same $18,200 system everywhere, so only the sun and the electricity price change the answer. Hawaii is fastest at 2.7 years (52.72 ¢/kWh), California 4.3 years at 34.74 ¢/kWh; Washington is slowest at 14.6 years with 3.8 sun hours and 14.91 ¢/kWh. Texas sits at 9.8 years: good sun, a below-average price.
- What do I get for the electricity I export?
- What your utility pays for exported kWh depends on its net-metering or export tariff; there is no national figure, so the field starts at 0. The tables above assume you use every kWh yourself; the payback calculator lets you type the share you export and the rate your provider pays, and an exported kWh paid at half the retail rate is worth half as much to the payback.
- Do the panels keep making the same amount every year?
- No: output falls about 0.5% a year (NREL; the Trina data sheet warrants 0.55%), so the 25-year table lowers each year's production by that share and year 25 makes 10,326 kWh against 11,646 kWh in year one. Over 25 years at today's price the 7 kW system in Texas saves $43,727, $25,527 more than it cost.
More guides
- How much do solar panels cost in the UK in 2026?
Around £7,600 for a typical 4.5 kWp system (Energy Saving Trust, 2026), £1,690 per kWp; 6 to 16 panels, savings at the Ofgem cap, payback by UK city.
- How much do solar panels cost for a 2,000 square foot house?
About $22,880 before incentives: 22 panels of 400 W (8.8 kW) cover the 12,173 kWh a year an average 2,000-2,499 sq ft home uses (EIA), at 4.5 sun hours.
- How many solar panels for 2,000 kWh a month?
2,000 kWh a month is 65.8 kWh a day: 43 panels of 400 W (17.2 kW) at 4.5 sun hours, about $44,720 installed. Every US state and UK city.
- How many solar panels to power a house?
Panels for the average US home (EIA 899 kWh a month) from half to twice that use, every US state, and Ofgem's low, medium and high UK homes in four cities.
Last updated 2026-09-22. Estimates from published averages (NREL, EIA, Ofgem, industry cost surveys), each with its source and date: an installer's site survey and shading analysis replace them. Not financial advice.