Solar in Burlington, VT
With City of Burlington Electric's electricity at about 20.7¢ per kWh and 1,222 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical Burlington home today: about a 13.7-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 13.7 yrsVermont: 11.5 yrs
- 25-year net
- $16,910after paying $14,840
- Sun
- 1,222kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 20.7¢15% above U.S. average
A typical Burlington home, by the numbers
| Utility | City of Burlington Electric |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 428 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 4.2 kW, about 10 panels, 5,130 kWh a year (100% of use) |
| Cost | $14,840 |
| First-year savings | $1,007 |
| Payback | 13.7 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (City of Burlington Electric) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 2.9% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Burlington
- Owner-occupied homes
- 42%
- Single-family detached
- 34%
- Median home value
- $445k
- Median year built
- 1957
- Population
- 44,675
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 74%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 7,434 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 Burlington
Public installation records for Vermont don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Vermont.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Burlington
Is solar worth it in Burlington, VT?
For a typical home in Burlington, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 4.2 kW system costs about $14,840 after state incentives, saves about $1,007 in year one and pays back in about 13.7 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Burlington?
About 1,222 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 Vermont average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Burlington?
Most homes in Burlington are served by City of Burlington Electric, at about 20.7¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Green Mountain Power.
How much do solar panels cost in Burlington?
A fair cash price is around $3.20 per watt before incentives, so about $14,840 for a 4.2 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.