Solar in Champaign, IL
With Ameren Illinois's electricity at about 19.1¢ per kWh and 1,355 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Champaign home today: about a 12-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 12 yrsIllinois: 13.5 yrs
- 25-year net
- $38,060after paying $23,780
- Sun
- 1,355kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 19.1¢6% above U.S. average
A typical Champaign home, by the numbers
| Utility | Ameren Illinois |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 882 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 7.8 kW, about 18 panels, 10,567 kWh a year (100% of use) |
| Cost | $26,120, or $23,780 after state incentives |
| First-year savings | $1,880 |
| Payback | 12.0 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 Champaign
- Owner-occupied homes
- 44%
- Single-family detached
- 43%
- Median home value
- $211k
- Median year built
- 1985
- Population
- 89,996
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 71%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 13,849 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Champaign
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 Champaign
Is solar worth it in Champaign, IL?
For a typical home in Champaign, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 7.8 kW system costs about $23,780 after state incentives, saves about $1,880 in year one and pays back in about 12 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Champaign?
About 1,355 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 1% more than the Illinois average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Champaign?
Most homes in Champaign are served by Ameren Illinois, at about 19.1¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Eastern Illinois Electric Cooperative, Corn Belt Energy Corporation.
How much do solar panels cost in Champaign?
A fair cash price is around $3.40 per watt before incentives, so about $26,120 for a 7.8 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Urbana 11.8 yrs
- Danville 11.9 yrs
- Decatur 11.8 yrs
- Bloomington 11.9 yrs
- Normal 11.9 yrs
- Springfield 16.5 yrs
- Pekin 11.7 yrs
- Peoria 11.9 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.