Solar in Essex, MD
With BGE's electricity at about 21.8¢ per kWh and 1,352 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Essex home today: about a 8.8-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 8.8 yrsMaryland: 8.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $56,233after paying $22,610
- Sun
- 1,352kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 21.8¢21% above U.S. average
A typical Essex home, by the numbers
| Utility | BGE |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 880 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 7.8 kW, about 18 panels, 10,547 kWh a year (100% of use) |
| Cost | $22,610 |
| First-year savings | $2,229 |
| Payback | 8.8 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (BGE) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Essex
- Owner-occupied homes
- 61%
- Single-family detached
- 39%
- Median home value
- $259k
- Median year built
- 1965
- Population
- 40,580
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 84%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 10,349 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 Essex
Public installation records for Maryland don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Maryland.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Essex
Is solar worth it in Essex, MD?
For a typical home in Essex, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 7.8 kW system costs about $22,610 after state incentives, saves about $2,229 in year one and pays back in about 8.8 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Essex?
About 1,352 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 2% less than the Maryland average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Essex?
Most homes in Essex are served by BGE, at about 21.8¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Essex?
A fair cash price is around $2.95 per watt before incentives, so about $22,610 for a 7.8 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Middle River 8.8 yrs
- Dundalk 8.7 yrs
- Perry Hall 8.5 yrs
- Parkville 8.5 yrs
- Carney 8.6 yrs
- Baltimore 8.6 yrs
- Towson 8.7 yrs
- Pasadena 8.6 yrs
- All of Maryland
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.