Solar in St. Joseph, MO
With Evergy Missouri West's electricity at about 12.7¢ per kWh and 1,421 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical St. Joseph home today: about a 17.7-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 17.7 yrsMissouri: 15.5 yrs
- 25-year net
- $7,634after paying $16,425
- Sun
- 1,421kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 12.7¢29% below U.S. average
A typical St. Joseph home, by the numbers
| Utility | Evergy Missouri West |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 996 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 5.5 kW, about 13 panels, 7,815 kWh a year (65% of use) |
| Cost | $16,425 |
| First-year savings | $992 |
| Payback | 17.7 years |
| Exported power | Avoided-cost export credit (Missouri rule) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 1.7% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in St. Joseph
- Owner-occupied homes
- 63%
- Single-family detached
- 72%
- Median home value
- $154k
- Median year built
- 1962
- Population
- 71,236
Census ACS 2020–2024.
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 St. Joseph
Public installation records for Missouri don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Missouri.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in St. Joseph
Is solar worth it in St. Joseph, MO?
For a typical home in St. Joseph, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 5.5 kW system costs about $16,425 after state incentives, saves about $992 in year one and pays back in about 17.7 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in St. Joseph?
About 1,421 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 1% more than the Missouri average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in St. Joseph?
Most homes in St. Joseph are served by Evergy Missouri West, at about 12.7¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in St. Joseph?
A fair cash price is around $2.85 per watt before incentives, so about $16,425 for a 5.5 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Gladstone 15.9 yrs
- Liberty 15.9 yrs
- Kansas City 15.7 yrs
- Independence 15.8 yrs
- Raytown 15.8 yrs
- Blue Springs 15.7 yrs
- Lee's Summit 15.8 yrs
- Grandview 15.7 yrs
- All of Missouri
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.