Solar in Rockford, IL
With ComEd's electricity at about 19.3¢ per kWh and 1,348 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Rockford home today: about a 12.4-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 12.4 yrsIllinois: 13.5 yrs
- 25-year net
- $24,841after paying $16,500
- Sun
- 1,348kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 19.3¢7% above U.S. average
A typical Rockford home, by the numbers
| Utility | ComEd |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 622 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 5 kW, about 12 panels, 6,738 kWh a year (90% of use) |
| Cost | $18,000, or $16,500 after state incentives |
| First-year savings | $1,236 |
| Payback | 12.4 years |
| Exported power | 9¢/kWh (ComEd) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Rockford
- Owner-occupied homes
- 55%
- Single-family detached
- 62%
- Median home value
- $129k
- Median year built
- 1963
- Population
- 147,521
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 78%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 43,611 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
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 Rockford
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 Rockford
Is solar worth it in Rockford, IL?
For a typical home in Rockford, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 5 kW system costs about $16,500 after state incentives, saves about $1,236 in year one and pays back in about 12.4 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Rockford?
About 1,348 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 Rockford?
Most homes in Rockford are served by ComEd, at about 19.3¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Rock Energy Cooperative.
How much do solar panels cost in Rockford?
A fair cash price is around $3.40 per watt before incentives, so about $18,000 for a 5 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- DeKalb 12.4 yrs
- Woodstock 12.5 yrs
- Huntley 12.5 yrs
- Crystal Lake 12.5 yrs
- Algonquin 12.4 yrs
- Lake in the Hills 12.4 yrs
- McHenry 12.5 yrs
- Carpentersville 12.5 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.