Solar in Lorain, OH
With Ohio Edison's electricity at about 17.3¢ per kWh and 1,298 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical Lorain home today: about a 13.6-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 13.6 yrsOhio: 12.8 yrs
- 25-year net
- $21,052after paying $19,000
- Sun
- 1,298kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 17.3¢4% below U.S. average
A typical Lorain home, by the numbers
| Utility | Ohio Edison |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 840 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 6.2 kW, about 14 panels, 8,047 kWh a year (80% of use) |
| Cost | $19,000 |
| First-year savings | $1,329 |
| Payback | 13.6 years |
| Exported power | Reduced export credit (Ohio Edison) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 2.8% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Lorain
- Owner-occupied homes
- 57%
- Single-family detached
- 69%
- Median home value
- $139k
- Median year built
- 1961
- Population
- 65,395
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 78%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 13,059 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 Lorain
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 Lorain
Is solar worth it in Lorain, OH?
For a typical home in Lorain, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 6.2 kW system costs about $19,000 after state incentives, saves about $1,329 in year one and pays back in about 13.6 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Lorain?
About 1,298 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 Ohio average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Lorain?
Most homes in Lorain are served by Ohio Edison, at about 17.3¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Lorain?
A fair cash price is around $3.00 per watt before incentives, so about $19,000 for a 6.2 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Elyria 13.8 yrs
- North Ridgeville 14.3 yrs
- Avon 14 yrs
- Avon Lake 13.9 yrs
- Westlake 13.8 yrs
- North Olmsted 14.1 yrs
- Lakewood 13.9 yrs
- Strongsville 14.2 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.