Typical home: Close call

Solar in Manhattan, KS

With Evergy Kansas Central's electricity at about 15.2¢ per kWh and 1,465 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical Manhattan home today: about a 15.2-year payback.

Payback, typical home
15.2 yrsKansas: 15.2 yrs
25-year net
$12,789after paying $17,780
Sun
1,465kWh per kW per year
Electricity
15.2¢15% below U.S. average

A typical Manhattan home, by the numbers

UtilityEvergy Kansas Central
Electricity use850 kWh a month
Best-value system5.6 kW, about 13 panels, 8,204 kWh a year (80% of use)
Cost$17,780
First-year savings$1,230
Payback15.2 years
Exported power3¢/kWh (Evergy Kansas Central)

Cash purchase, no federal credit, 1.6% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.

Solar production per kW in Manhattan

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

Show as a table
PeriodValue
Jan88
Feb101
Mar120
Apr137
May142
Jun155
Jul148
Aug152
Sep132
Oct116
Nov94
Dec81

Homes in Manhattan

Owner-occupied homes
43%
Single-family detached
48%
Median home value
$247k
Median year built
1983
Population
54,239
Roofs suitable for solar†
71%

Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 9,558 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).

Installers working in Manhattan

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

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

Questions about solar in Manhattan

Is solar worth it in Manhattan, KS?

For a typical home in Manhattan, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 5.6 kW system costs about $17,780 after state incentives, saves about $1,230 in year one and pays back in about 15.2 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.

How much solar power does a system produce in Manhattan?

About 1,465 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 0% less than the Kansas average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.

Who is the electric utility in Manhattan?

Most homes in Manhattan are served by Evergy Kansas Central, at about 15.2¢ per kWh on average.

How much do solar panels cost in Manhattan?

A fair cash price is around $3.05 per watt before incentives, so about $17,780 for a 5.6 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.