Typical home: Worth it

Solar in Lancaster, PA

With PPL Electric Utilities's electricity at about 20.3¢ per kWh and 1,331 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Lancaster home today: about a 9.7-year payback.

Payback, typical home
9.7 yrsPennsylvania: 9.9 yrs
25-year net
$53,420after paying $24,750
Sun
1,331kWh per kW per year
Electricity
20.3¢13% above U.S. average

A typical Lancaster home, by the numbers

UtilityPPL Electric Utilities
Electricity use942 kWh a month
Best-value system8.5 kW, about 20 panels, 11,316 kWh a year (100% of use)
Cost$24,750
First-year savings$2,186
Payback9.7 years
Exported powerFull retail net metering (PPL Electric Utilities)

Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.

Solar production per kW in Lancaster

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

Show as a table
PeriodValue
Jan77
Feb92
Mar119
Apr127
May140
Jun139
Jul143
Aug134
Sep112
Oct101
Nov81
Dec66

Homes in Lancaster

Owner-occupied homes
49%
Single-family detached
12%
Median home value
$220k
Median year built
1938
Population
57,719
Roofs suitable for solar†
71%

Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 12,555 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 Lancaster

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

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

Questions about solar in Lancaster

Is solar worth it in Lancaster, PA?

For a typical home in Lancaster, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 8.5 kW system costs about $24,750 after state incentives, saves about $2,186 in year one and pays back in about 9.7 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.

How much solar power does a system produce in Lancaster?

About 1,331 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 3% more than the Pennsylvania average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.

Who is the electric utility in Lancaster?

Most homes in Lancaster are served by PPL Electric Utilities, at about 20.3¢ per kWh on average.

How much do solar panels cost in Lancaster?

A fair cash price is around $3.00 per watt before incentives, so about $24,750 for a 8.5 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.