Solar in Alton, IL
With Ameren Illinois's electricity at about 19.1¢ per kWh and 1,394 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Alton home today: about a 11.6-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 11.6 yrsIllinois: 13.5 yrs
- 25-year net
- $39,872after paying $23,260
- Sun
- 1,394kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 19.1¢6% above U.S. average
A typical Alton home, by the numbers
| Utility | Ameren Illinois |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 882 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 7.6 kW, about 18 panels, 10,597 kWh a year (100% of use) |
| Cost | $25,540, or $23,260 after state incentives |
| First-year savings | $1,899 |
| Payback | 11.6 years |
| Exported power | 10¢/kWh (Ameren Illinois) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Alton
- Owner-occupied homes
- 60%
- Single-family detached
- 75%
- Median home value
- $104k
- Median year built
- 1953
- Population
- 25,279
Census ACS 2020–2024.
Older housing stock. Many homes here were built before 1975. Have the roof and electrical panel checked before signing; a roof or panel upgrade can add thousands. Roof first?
Installers working in Alton
Public installation records for Illinois don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Illinois.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Alton
Is solar worth it in Alton, IL?
For a typical home in Alton, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 7.6 kW system costs about $23,260 after state incentives, saves about $1,899 in year one and pays back in about 11.6 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Alton?
About 1,394 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 4% more than the Illinois average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Alton?
Most homes in Alton are served by Ameren Illinois, at about 19.1¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Southwestern Electric Cooperative.
How much do solar panels cost in Alton?
A fair cash price is around $3.40 per watt before incentives, so about $25,540 for a 7.6 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Edwardsville 11.7 yrs
- Granite City 11.7 yrs
- O'Fallon 11.6 yrs
- Belleville 11.6 yrs
- Springfield 16.5 yrs
- Decatur 11.8 yrs
- Quincy 11.7 yrs
- Pekin 11.7 yrs
- All of Illinois
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.