Typical home: Worth it

Solar in Princeton, NJ

With PSE&G's electricity at about 26.4¢ per kWh and 1,328 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Princeton home today: about a 7.4-year payback.

Payback, typical home
7.4 yrsNew Jersey: 7.8 yrs
25-year net
$53,043after paying $17,500
Sun
1,328kWh per kW per year
Electricity
26.4¢47% above U.S. average

A typical Princeton home, by the numbers

UtilityPSE&G
Electricity use559 kWh a month
Best-value system5.6 kW, about 13 panels, 7,438 kWh a year (111% of use)
Cost$17,500
First-year savings$1,732
Payback7.4 years
Exported powerFull retail net metering (PSE&G)

Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.6% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.

Solar production per kW in Princeton

kWh per kW each month, south-facing at 20° tilt. PVWatts v8 with local typical-year weather.

Show as a table
PeriodValue
Jan83
Feb89
Mar128
Apr132
May139
Jun136
Jul137
Aug122
Sep116
Oct103
Nov82
Dec61

Homes in Princeton

Owner-occupied homes
55%
Single-family detached
54%
Median home value
$1.1M
Median year built
1965
Population
30,756
Solar installs, last 3 years*
213
Roofs suitable for solar†
64%

Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 4,897 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 Princeton

Companies with the most installations in Princeton's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.

  1. Tesla Energy 31 installs
  2. Momentum Solar 19 installs
  3. Sunrun 19 installs
  4. Exact Electric 15 installs
  5. Trinity Solar 11 installs
  6. Green Power Energy 9 installs
  7. Sunnymac 9 installs
  8. Sea Bright Solar 7 installs
  9. Solar Me 7 installs
  10. Emt Renewables 6 installs

Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.

Questions about solar in Princeton

Is solar worth it in Princeton, NJ?

For a typical home in Princeton, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 5.6 kW system costs about $17,500 after state incentives, saves about $1,732 in year one and pays back in about 7.4 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.

How much solar power does a system produce in Princeton?

About 1,328 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 New Jersey average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.

Who is the electric utility in Princeton?

Most homes in Princeton are served by PSE&G, at about 26.4¢ per kWh on average.

How much do solar panels cost in Princeton?

A fair cash price is around $3.00 per watt before incentives, so about $17,500 for a 5.6 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.

Nearby

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.