Solar in St. Louis, MO
With Ameren Missouri's electricity at about 13.9¢ per kWh and 1,388 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical St. Louis home today: about a 15.8-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 15.8 yrsMissouri: 15.5 yrs
- 25-year net
- $13,262after paying $20,185
- Sun
- 1,388kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 13.9¢23% below U.S. average
A typical St. Louis home, by the numbers
| Utility | Ameren Missouri |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 1,032 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 7.1 kW, about 17 panels, 9,854 kWh a year (80% of use) |
| Cost | $20,185 |
| First-year savings | $1,353 |
| Payback | 15.8 years |
| Exported power | 4.6¢/kWh (Ameren Missouri) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 1.7% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in St. Louis
- Owner-occupied homes
- 45%
- Single-family detached
- 43%
- Median home value
- $198k
- Median year built
- 1938
- Population
- 288,512
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 81%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 89,672 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 St. Louis
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. Louis
Is solar worth it in St. Louis, MO?
For a typical home in St. Louis, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 7.1 kW system costs about $20,185 after state incentives, saves about $1,353 in year one and pays back in about 15.8 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in St. Louis?
About 1,388 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 Missouri average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in St. Louis?
Most homes in St. Louis are served by Ameren Missouri, at about 13.9¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in St. Louis?
A fair cash price is around $2.85 per watt before incentives, so about $20,185 for a 7.1 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- University City 16.1 yrs
- Mehlville 15.9 yrs
- Kirkwood 16.7 yrs
- Florissant 16.1 yrs
- Oakville 15.8 yrs
- Maryland Heights 16.7 yrs
- Hazelwood 16 yrs
- Ballwin 16.3 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.