US residential solar · data updated 2026-Q1
What should solar really cost for your home?
Not a range scraped from a marketing page. Location-aware pricing, cost-per-watt math, incentive status that is actually current, and a quote analyzer that shows you why two installers differ — before anyone asks for your phone number.
No email. No phone number. No “enter your ZIP to get 3 quotes” wall.
US median installed cost (2026)
$2.80/W cash, before incentives
The federal residential solar tax credit (30% §25D) ended December 31, 2025.
Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, systems placed in service on or after January 1, 2026 do not qualify for the residential credit. Systems installed and operational by December 31, 2025 can still be claimed at 30% on the 2025 return. Commercial and third-party-owned (lease/PPA) projects may qualify under §48E — see the federal incentives page.
Status verified 2026-08-21. Confirm your circumstances with a qualified tax professional.
The numbers in 60 seconds
National planning figures — every value below is a market estimate with a source, not a quote. State pages have the detail.
Typical installed cost
$2.5–$3.2/W
Cash, before incentives. EnergySage Q1-2026 median ≈ $2.95/W; NREL ≈ $2.62/W. Market estimate
Federal residential credit
$0 in 2026
§25D ended 12/31/2025. 2025 installs still claim 30% via Form 5695. Expired / ended
US avg residential rate
18.4¢/kWh
EIA May 2026. Range: 12.4¢ (ID) to 52¢ (HI). Your utility may differ a lot. Verified current
Tools that do the math for you
All calculators work anonymously, show every assumption, and never force contact details before results.
Solar price calculator
ZIP → usage → equipment → battery → financing → incentives → a realistic price range, payback and savings. Anonymous.
Quote analyzer
Paste a quote’s numbers and see $/W vs your state’s typical range — with red flags, not scare tactics.
Quote comparison
Normalize 2–3 quotes side by side: $/W, equipment, production, warranties, financing.
Financing calculator
Cash vs loan vs lease vs PPA — with dealer fees made visible, not buried.
Battery calculator
Backup runtime and the honest economics of solar + storage.
Incentive finder
Status-aware federal, state and utility incentives — expired programs shown as expired.
Price per watt by state
Typical cash $/W ranges (2026 estimates). State pages add electricity rates, sun, export policy and incentive records.
System-size pricing pages
Cornerstone guides
Why the numbers here are different
Fact ≠ estimate
Every number is labeled: verified data, market estimate, your input, or a projection. You will never see them mixed.
Dated & sourced
Rates, incentives and prices carry a “last checked” date and a source. Expired incentives render as expired.
Value before lead
Full results before any contact form. If we ever connect you with installers, it is opt-in, explained, and disclosed.
No guarantees
We don’t promise savings, payback or home-value increases. We show assumptions and ranges — and tell you what to verify.
Read the methodology · sources · disclosures