Solar in Rochester, MN
With People's Cooperative Services's electricity at about 17.6¢ per kWh and 1,328 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical Rochester home today: about a 15.2-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 15.2 yrsMinnesota: 16.8 yrs
- 25-year net
- $23,336after paying $27,875
- Sun
- 1,328kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 17.6¢2% below U.S. average
A typical Rochester home, by the numbers
| Utility | People's Cooperative Services |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 919 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 7.5 kW, about 17 panels, 9,961 kWh a year (90% of use) |
| Cost | $27,875 |
| First-year savings | $1,754 |
| Payback | 15.2 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (Minnesota rule) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 2.7% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Rochester
- Owner-occupied homes
- 65%
- Single-family detached
- 58%
- Median home value
- $311k
- Median year built
- 1989
- Population
- 122,330
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 74%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 28,994 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Rochester
Public installation records for Minnesota don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Minnesota.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Rochester
Is solar worth it in Rochester, MN?
For a typical home in Rochester, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 7.5 kW system costs about $27,875 after state incentives, saves about $1,754 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 Rochester?
About 1,328 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 Minnesota average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Rochester?
Most homes in Rochester are served by People's Cooperative Services, at about 17.6¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Rochester Public Utilities, Xcel Energy Minnesota.
How much do solar panels cost in Rochester?
A fair cash price is around $3.75 per watt before incentives, so about $27,875 for a 7.5 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Austin 16.4 yrs
- Owatonna 16.4 yrs
- Winona 16.7 yrs
- Rosemount 16.4 yrs
- Cottage Grove 16.8 yrs
- Lakeville 16.5 yrs
- Apple Valley 16.5 yrs
- Inver Grove Heights 16.7 yrs
- All of Minnesota
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.