Solar in Columbia, TN
With Columbia Power System's electricity at about 13.1¢ per kWh and 1,371 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Columbia home today: it does not pay back within 25 years.
- Payback, typical home
- NeverTennessee: 24 yrs
- 25-year net
- −$139after paying $18,690
- Sun
- 1,371kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 13.1¢27% below U.S. average
A typical Columbia home, by the numbers
| Utility | Columbia Power System |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 1,110 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 4.9 kW, about 11 panels, 6,719 kWh a year (50% of use) |
| Cost | $18,690 |
| First-year savings | $697 |
| Payback | never within 25 years |
| Exported power | No statewide net metering (Tennessee rule) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 2.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Columbia
- Owner-occupied homes
- 63%
- Single-family detached
- 67%
- Median home value
- $309k
- Median year built
- 1981
- Population
- 45,441
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 80%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 7,173 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Columbia
Public installation records for Tennessee don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Tennessee.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Columbia
Is solar worth it in Columbia, TN?
For a typical home in Columbia, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 4.9 kW system costs about $18,690 after state incentives, saves about $697 in year one and does not pay back within 25 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Columbia?
About 1,371 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 0% more than the Tennessee average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Columbia?
Most homes in Columbia are served by Columbia Power System, at about 13.1¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Duck River Electric Member, Middle Tennessee E M C.
How much do solar panels cost in Columbia?
A fair cash price is around $3.60 per watt before incentives, so about $18,690 for a 4.9 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Spring Hill 23.2 yrs
- Franklin no payback
- Brentwood 23.3 yrs
- Smyrna no payback
- Murfreesboro no payback
- La Vergne 23.4 yrs
- Nashville 23.7 yrs
- Mount Juliet no payback
- All of Tennessee
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.