Solar in Madison, WI
With Madison Gas & Electric's electricity at about 21.9¢ per kWh and 1,314 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Madison home today: about a 11.5-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 11.5 yrsWisconsin: 13.2 yrs
- 25-year net
- $23,039after paying $14,900
- Sun
- 1,314kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 21.9¢22% above U.S. average
A typical Madison home, by the numbers
| Utility | Madison Gas & Electric |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 505 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 4.6 kW, about 11 panels, 6,045 kWh a year (100% of use) |
| Cost | $17,300, or $14,900 after state incentives |
| First-year savings | $1,260 |
| Payback | 11.5 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (Madison Gas & Electric) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 2.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Madison
- Owner-occupied homes
- 46%
- Single-family detached
- 40%
- Median home value
- $373k
- Median year built
- 1980
- Population
- 278,001
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 917
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 73%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 44,979 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Madison
Companies with the most installations in Madison's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Everlight Solar 372 installs
- Next Energy 122 installs
- Midwest Solar Power 121 installs
- Drews Solar 77 installs
- Arch Electric 73 installs
- All Energy Solar 50 installs
- Freedom Forever 35 installs
- Sunpeak 13 installs
- Home Team Energy 6 installs
- Eagle Point Solar 5 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Madison
Is solar worth it in Madison, WI?
For a typical home in Madison, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 4.6 kW system costs about $14,900 after state incentives, saves about $1,260 in year one and pays back in about 11.5 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Madison?
About 1,314 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 1% less than the Wisconsin average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Madison?
Most homes in Madison are served by Madison Gas & Electric, at about 21.9¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Alliant Energy (Wisconsin Power & Light).
How much do solar panels cost in Madison?
A fair cash price is around $3.50 per watt before incentives, so about $17,300 for a 4.6 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Fitchburg 11.3 yrs
- Sun Prairie 12.6 yrs
- Janesville 12.3 yrs
- Beloit 12.4 yrs
- Waukesha 11.6 yrs
- New Berlin 11.5 yrs
- Menomonee Falls 11.5 yrs
- Brookfield 11.6 yrs
- All of Wisconsin
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.