Solar in Springfield, IL
With City of Springfield's electricity at about 13.9¢ per kWh and 1,378 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical Springfield home today: about a 16.5-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 16.5 yrsIllinois: 13.5 yrs
- 25-year net
- $15,782after paying $20,900
- Sun
- 1,378kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 13.9¢23% below U.S. average
A typical Springfield home, by the numbers
| Utility | City of Springfield |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 864 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 6 kW, about 14 panels, 8,266 kWh a year (80% of use) |
| Cost | $20,900 |
| First-year savings | $1,140 |
| Payback | 16.5 years |
| Exported power | Reduced export credit (Illinois rule) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Springfield
- Owner-occupied homes
- 64%
- Single-family detached
- 65%
- Median home value
- $162k
- Median year built
- 1972
- Population
- 113,330
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 71%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 34,338 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 Springfield
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 Springfield
Is solar worth it in Springfield, IL?
For a typical home in Springfield, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 6 kW system costs about $20,900 after state incentives, saves about $1,140 in year one and pays back in about 16.5 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Springfield?
About 1,378 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 3% more than the Illinois average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Springfield?
Most homes in Springfield are served by City of Springfield, at about 13.9¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Ameren Illinois, Menard Electric Cooperative, ComEd.
How much do solar panels cost in Springfield?
A fair cash price is around $3.40 per watt before incentives, so about $20,900 for a 6 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Decatur 11.8 yrs
- Pekin 11.7 yrs
- Bloomington 11.9 yrs
- Normal 11.9 yrs
- Peoria 11.9 yrs
- Alton 11.6 yrs
- Edwardsville 11.7 yrs
- Champaign 12 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.