Solar in Cincinnati, OH
With Duke Energy Ohio's electricity at about 18.1¢ per kWh and 1,273 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Cincinnati home today: about a 12.8-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 12.8 yrsOhio: 12.8 yrs
- 25-year net
- $26,679after paying $21,000
- Sun
- 1,273kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 18.1¢1% above U.S. average
A typical Cincinnati home, by the numbers
| Utility | Duke Energy Ohio |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 924 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 7 kW, about 16 panels, 8,912 kWh a year (80% of use) |
| Cost | $21,000 |
| First-year savings | $1,584 |
| Payback | 12.8 years |
| Exported power | Reduced export credit (Duke Energy Ohio) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 2.8% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Cincinnati
- Owner-occupied homes
- 40%
- Single-family detached
- 38%
- Median home value
- $231k
- Median year built
- 1951
- Population
- 311,224
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 79%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 70,311 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 Cincinnati
Public installation records for Ohio don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Ohio.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Cincinnati
Is solar worth it in Cincinnati, OH?
For a typical home in Cincinnati, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 7 kW system costs about $21,000 after state incentives, saves about $1,584 in year one and pays back in about 12.8 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Cincinnati?
About 1,273 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 1% less than the Ohio average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Cincinnati?
Most homes in Cincinnati are served by Duke Energy Ohio, at about 18.1¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Butler Rural Electric Cooperative, AES Ohio, South Central Power.
How much do solar panels cost in Cincinnati?
A fair cash price is around $3.00 per watt before incentives, so about $21,000 for a 7 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Fairfield 12.4 yrs
- Hamilton 12.7 yrs
- Mason 12.6 yrs
- Middletown 12.6 yrs
- Centerville 13 yrs
- Kettering 13.1 yrs
- Dayton 13 yrs
- Beavercreek 13.1 yrs
- All of Ohio
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.