Solar in Salem, MA
With National Grid Massachusetts's electricity at about 33.9¢ per kWh and 1,358 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Salem home today: about a 6.7-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 6.7 yrsMassachusetts: 7.6 yrs
- 25-year net
- $67,669after paying $16,465
- Sun
- 1,358kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 33.9¢88% above U.S. average
A typical Salem home, by the numbers
| Utility | National Grid Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 549 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 4.9 kW, about 11 panels, 6,656 kWh a year (101% of use) |
| Cost | $17,465, or $16,465 after state incentives |
| First-year savings | $2,126 |
| Payback | 6.7 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (National Grid Massachusetts) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 4.0% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Salem
- Owner-occupied homes
- 50%
- Single-family detached
- 24%
- Median home value
- $543k
- Median year built
- 1938
- Population
- 44,795
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 88%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 8,631 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 Salem
Public installation records for Massachusetts don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Massachusetts.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Salem
Is solar worth it in Salem, MA?
For a typical home in Salem, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 4.9 kW system costs about $16,465 after state incentives, saves about $2,126 in year one and pays back in about 6.7 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Salem?
About 1,358 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 5% more than the Massachusetts average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Salem?
Most homes in Salem are served by National Grid Massachusetts, at about 33.9¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by City of Peabody.
How much do solar panels cost in Salem?
A fair cash price is around $3.35 per watt before incentives, so about $17,465 for a 4.9 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Lynn 7 yrs
- Peabody 12.2 yrs
- Beverly 6.8 yrs
- Danvers 6.9 yrs
- Saugus 7 yrs
- Revere 7 yrs
- Wakefield 6.9 yrs
- Melrose 7.2 yrs
- All of Massachusetts
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.