Solar in Philadelphia, PA
With PECO Energy's electricity at about 20.6¢ per kWh and 1,348 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Philadelphia home today: about a 9.8-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 9.8 yrsPennsylvania: 9.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $43,766after paying $20,500
- Sun
- 1,348kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 20.6¢14% above U.S. average
A typical Philadelphia home, by the numbers
| Utility | PECO Energy |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 763 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 6.8 kW, about 16 panels, 9,165 kWh a year (100% of use) |
| Cost | $20,500 |
| First-year savings | $1,797 |
| Payback | 9.8 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (PECO Energy) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Philadelphia
- Owner-occupied homes
- 52%
- Single-family detached
- 8%
- Median home value
- $243k
- Median year built
- 1949
- Population
- 1,579,706
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 47%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 219,330 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 Philadelphia
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 Philadelphia
Is solar worth it in Philadelphia, PA?
For a typical home in Philadelphia, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 6.8 kW system costs about $20,500 after state incentives, saves about $1,797 in year one and pays back in about 9.8 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Philadelphia?
About 1,348 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 4% more than the Pennsylvania average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Philadelphia?
Most homes in Philadelphia are served by PECO Energy, at about 20.6¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Philadelphia?
A fair cash price is around $3.00 per watt before incentives, so about $20,500 for a 6.8 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Drexel Hill 9.9 yrs
- Norristown 10.1 yrs
- King of Prussia 10 yrs
- Chester 9.9 yrs
- Levittown 9.8 yrs
- Allentown 10.1 yrs
- Bethlehem 10.2 yrs
- Easton 10.1 yrs
- All of Pennsylvania
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.