Typical home: Close call

Solar in Matthews, NC

With Duke Energy Carolinas's electricity at about 14.2¢ per kWh and 1,423 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical Matthews home today: about a 14.7-year payback.

Payback, typical home
14.7 yrsNorth Carolina: 14.2 yrs
25-year net
$18,147after paying $21,360
Sun
1,423kWh per kW per year
Electricity
14.2¢21% below U.S. average

A typical Matthews home, by the numbers

UtilityDuke Energy Carolinas
Electricity use996 kWh a month
Best-value system7.6 kW, about 18 panels, 10,815 kWh a year (90% of use)
Cost$21,360
First-year savings$1,483
Payback14.7 years
Exported power3.5¢/kWh (Duke Energy Carolinas)

Cash purchase, no federal credit, 2.2% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.

Solar production per kW in Matthews

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

Show as a table
PeriodValue
Jan100
Feb99
Mar123
Apr129
May140
Jun139
Jul138
Aug133
Sep124
Oct112
Nov99
Dec87

Homes in Matthews

Owner-occupied homes
64%
Single-family detached
62%
Median home value
$445k
Median year built
1994
Population
30,577
Roofs suitable for solar†
78%

Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 7,505 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).

Installers working in Matthews

Public installation records for North Carolina don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in North Carolina.

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

Questions about solar in Matthews

Is solar worth it in Matthews, NC?

For a typical home in Matthews, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 7.6 kW system costs about $21,360 after state incentives, saves about $1,483 in year one and pays back in about 14.7 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.

How much solar power does a system produce in Matthews?

About 1,423 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 North Carolina average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.

Who is the electric utility in Matthews?

Most homes in Matthews are served by Duke Energy Carolinas, at about 14.2¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Union Electric Membership.

How much do solar panels cost in Matthews?

A fair cash price is around $2.85 per watt before incentives, so about $21,360 for a 7.6 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.