Solar in Houston, TX
With CenterPoint Energy Houston's electricity at about 17.6¢ per kWh and 1,421 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Houston home today: about a 13.4-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 13.4 yrsTexas: 14 yrs
- 25-year net
- $15,569after paying $13,370
- Sun
- 1,421kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 17.6¢2% below U.S. average
A typical Houston home, by the numbers
| Utility | CenterPoint Energy Houston |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 1,124 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 4.7 kW, about 11 panels, 6,681 kWh a year (50% of use) |
| Cost | $13,370 |
| First-year savings | $982 |
| Payback | 13.4 years |
| Exported power | No statewide net metering (Texas rule) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 2.9% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Houston
- Owner-occupied homes
- 42%
- Single-family detached
- 43%
- Median home value
- $278k
- Median year built
- 1982
- Population
- 2,328,253
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 90%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 500,650 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Houston
Public installation records for Texas don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Texas.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Houston
Is solar worth it in Houston, TX?
For a typical home in Houston, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 4.7 kW system costs about $13,370 after state incentives, saves about $982 in year one and pays back in about 13.4 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Houston?
About 1,421 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 7% less than the Texas average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Houston?
Most homes in Houston are served by CenterPoint Energy Houston, at about 17.6¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by San Bernard Electric Cooperative, Entergy Texas.
How much do solar panels cost in Houston?
A fair cash price is around $2.60 per watt before incentives, so about $13,370 for a 4.7 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Pearland 13.1 yrs
- Channelview 13.7 yrs
- Pasadena 13 yrs
- Deer Park 13.1 yrs
- Atascocita 13.3 yrs
- Mission Bend 13.1 yrs
- Missouri City 13.1 yrs
- Spring 12.3 yrs
- All of Texas
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.