Solar in Missoula, MT
With NorthWestern Energy's electricity at about 15.4¢ per kWh and 1,173 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Missoula home today: about a 17.3-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 17.3 yrsMontana: 19.6 yrs
- 25-year net
- $9,584after paying $19,100
- Sun
- 1,173kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 15.4¢15% below U.S. average
A typical Missoula home, by the numbers
| Utility | NorthWestern Energy |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 707 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 6.5 kW, about 15 panels, 7,624 kWh a year (90% of use) |
| Cost | $19,100 |
| First-year savings | $1,162 |
| Payback | 17.3 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (NorthWestern Energy) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 1.8% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Missoula
- Owner-occupied homes
- 47%
- Single-family detached
- 49%
- Median home value
- $473k
- Median year built
- 1981
- Population
- 76,514
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 83%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 17,910 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Missoula
Public installation records for Montana don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Montana.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Missoula
Is solar worth it in Missoula, MT?
For a typical home in Missoula, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 6.5 kW system costs about $19,100 after state incentives, saves about $1,162 in year one and pays back in about 17.3 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Missoula?
About 1,173 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 8% less than the Montana average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Missoula?
Most homes in Missoula are served by NorthWestern Energy, at about 15.4¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Missoula Electric Cooperative, USBIA-Mission Valley Power.
How much do solar panels cost in Missoula?
A fair cash price is around $2.90 per watt before incentives, so about $19,100 for a 6.5 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Butte-Silver Bow 15.7 yrs
- Kalispell no payback
- Helena 15.5 yrs
- Great Falls 15.5 yrs
- Bozeman 16.3 yrs
- Billings 15.1 yrs
- All of Montana
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.