Typical home: Not worth it

Solar in Northport, AL

With Alabama Power's electricity at about 18.3¢ per kWh and 1,386 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Northport home today: about a 17.2-year payback.

Payback, typical home
17.2 yrsAlabama: 18.8 yrs
25-year net
$11,922after paying $18,690
Sun
1,386kWh per kW per year
Electricity
18.3¢2% above U.S. average

A typical Northport home, by the numbers

UtilityAlabama Power
Electricity use1,129 kWh a month
Best-value system4.9 kW, about 11 panels, 6,793 kWh a year (50% of use)
Cost$18,690
First-year savings$976
Payback17.2 years
Exported power3¢/kWh (Alabama Power)

Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.2% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.

Solar production per kW in Northport

kWh per kW each month, south-facing at 20° tilt. PVWatts v8 with local typical-year weather.

Show as a table
PeriodValue
Jan93
Feb89
Mar119
Apr129
May142
Jun134
Jul137
Aug129
Sep122
Oct118
Nov95
Dec78

Homes in Northport

Owner-occupied homes
62%
Single-family detached
70%
Median home value
$283k
Median year built
1992
Population
31,218
Roofs suitable for solar†
85%

Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 7,093 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).

Installers working in Northport

Public installation records for Alabama don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Alabama.

Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.

Questions about solar in Northport

Is solar worth it in Northport, AL?

For a typical home in Northport, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 4.9 kW system costs about $18,690 after state incentives, saves about $976 in year one and pays back in about 17.2 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.

How much solar power does a system produce in Northport?

About 1,386 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 1% less than the Alabama average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.

Who is the electric utility in Northport?

Most homes in Northport are served by Alabama Power, at about 18.3¢ per kWh on average.

How much do solar panels cost in Northport?

A fair cash price is around $3.60 per watt before incentives, so about $18,690 for a 4.9 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.

Nearby

Data: PVWatts (National Laboratory of the Rockies), EIA-861 2025 adjusted to 2026, U.S. Census ACS, LBNL Tracking the Sun, state policy research as of October 2026.