Solar panels in Florida: cost, payback and the rules that matter
Florida homes pay 15.3¢ per kWh for electricity, the 31st highest of 51, up 1.8% in a year. A typical home needs 22 panels. With no federal tax credit they pay for themselves in about 13.0 yrs.
Four facts that decide solar in Florida
1. The sun. One kilowatt of panels makes about 1,478 kWh a year in the median Florida city, from 1,441 in Jacksonville to 1,551 in Sarasota.
2. The price of electricity. Every kWh your panels make is worth what you would otherwise pay: 15.3¢ in Florida today.
3. What your utility pays for exports. Most Florida utilities still credit exported solar close to the retail rate, but rules differ by utility and change often.
4. Incentives. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (IRC §25D) ended for systems whose installation is completed after December 31, 2025 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act, P.L. We don't know of a statewide income-tax credit for home solar in Florida.
Florida's homes
8,752,810 households; 67.6% own their home. 4,785,962 owner-occupied single-family houses: the main market for rooftop solar. The median home was built in 1988; 90.4% heat with electricity.
ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau.
Plan a specific Florida home
Solar in every Florida city with 50,000+ people
| City | Sun hrs/day | kWh per kW | Best tilt | Typical kW | Payback (NM) | Payback (NB) | Solar ¢/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville | 5.2 | 1,441 | 28° | 9.2 | 13.4 yrs | 21.5 yrs | 10.7 |
| Miami | 5.4 | 1,499 | 24° | 9.2 | 12.8 yrs | 21.0 yrs | 10.3 |
| Tampa | 5.5 | 1,522 | 27° | 8.8 | 12.7 yrs | 20.4 yrs | 10.1 |
| Orlando | 5.3 | 1,465 | 27° | 9.2 | 13.1 yrs | 21.3 yrs | 10.5 |
| Port St. Lucie | 5.3 | 1,475 | 26° | 9.2 | 13.1 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
| St. Petersburg | 5.5 | 1,537 | 27° | 8.8 | 12.6 yrs | 20.3 yrs | 10.0 |
| Cape Coral | 5.6 | 1,544 | 26° | 8.8 | 12.5 yrs | 20.3 yrs | 10.0 |
| Hialeah | 5.4 | 1,488 | 25° | 9.2 | 12.9 yrs | 21.1 yrs | 10.3 |
| Tallahassee | 5.3 | 1,447 | 30° | 9.2 | 13.3 yrs | 21.3 yrs | 10.7 |
| Fort Lauderdale | 5.3 | 1,485 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.0 yrs | 21.1 yrs | 10.4 |
| Pembroke Pines | 5.3 | 1,478 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.0 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
| Hollywood | 5.4 | 1,489 | 25° | 9.2 | 12.9 yrs | 21.1 yrs | 10.3 |
| Gainesville | 5.3 | 1,452 | 29° | 9.2 | 13.3 yrs | 21.3 yrs | 10.6 |
| Palm Bay | 5.3 | 1,476 | 26° | 9.2 | 13.1 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
| Miramar | 5.3 | 1,480 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.0 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
| Coral Springs | 5.3 | 1,470 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.1 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.5 |
| West Palm Beach | 5.3 | 1,474 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.1 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
| Lakeland | 5.4 | 1,496 | 28° | 9.2 | 12.9 yrs | 21.0 yrs | 10.3 |
| Pompano Beach | 5.3 | 1,481 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.0 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
| Clearwater | 5.5 | 1,534 | 27° | 8.8 | 12.6 yrs | 20.3 yrs | 10.0 |
| Miami Gardens | 5.4 | 1,488 | 25° | 9.2 | 12.9 yrs | 21.1 yrs | 10.3 |
| Davie | 5.3 | 1,479 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.0 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
| Palm Coast | 5.2 | 1,447 | 27° | 9.2 | 13.3 yrs | 21.4 yrs | 10.6 |
| Boca Raton | 5.3 | 1,477 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.0 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
| Fort Myers | 5.5 | 1,532 | 26° | 8.8 | 12.6 yrs | 20.4 yrs | 10.0 |
| Deltona | 5.3 | 1,458 | 27° | 9.2 | 13.2 yrs | 21.3 yrs | 10.6 |
| Plantation | 5.3 | 1,478 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.0 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
| Sunrise | 5.3 | 1,475 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.1 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
| North Port | 5.6 | 1,545 | 26° | 8.8 | 12.5 yrs | 20.3 yrs | 10.0 |
| Deerfield Beach | 5.3 | 1,478 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.0 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
| Daytona Beach | 5.3 | 1,459 | 27° | 9.2 | 13.2 yrs | 21.3 yrs | 10.6 |
| Melbourne | 5.3 | 1,473 | 26° | 9.2 | 13.1 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
| Homestead | 5.4 | 1,499 | 24° | 9.2 | 12.9 yrs | 21.0 yrs | 10.3 |
| Kissimmee | 5.3 | 1,470 | 28° | 9.2 | 13.1 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.5 |
| Boynton Beach | 5.3 | 1,473 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.1 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
| Doral | 5.3 | 1,488 | 25° | 9.2 | 12.9 yrs | 21.1 yrs | 10.3 |
| Miami Beach | 5.4 | 1,501 | 24° | 9.2 | 12.8 yrs | 21.0 yrs | 10.3 |
| Largo | 5.5 | 1,536 | 27° | 8.8 | 12.6 yrs | 20.3 yrs | 10.0 |
| Lauderhill | 5.3 | 1,478 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.0 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
| St. Cloud | 5.3 | 1,472 | 27° | 9.2 | 13.1 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.5 |
| Tamarac | 5.3 | 1,474 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.1 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
| Ocala | 5.3 | 1,464 | 28° | 9.2 | 13.2 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.5 |
| Delray Beach | 5.3 | 1,473 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.1 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
| Weston | 5.3 | 1,469 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.1 yrs | 21.3 yrs | 10.5 |
| Sanford | 5.3 | 1,459 | 27° | 9.2 | 13.2 yrs | 21.3 yrs | 10.6 |
| Port Orange | 5.3 | 1,462 | 26° | 9.2 | 13.2 yrs | 21.3 yrs | 10.5 |
| Apopka | 5.3 | 1,457 | 28° | 9.2 | 13.2 yrs | 21.3 yrs | 10.6 |
| Palm Beach Gardens | 5.3 | 1,473 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.1 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
| Wellington | 5.3 | 1,462 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.2 yrs | 21.3 yrs | 10.5 |
| Jupiter | 5.3 | 1,478 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.0 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
| Winter Haven | 5.4 | 1,488 | 28° | 9.2 | 13.0 yrs | 21.1 yrs | 10.4 |
| North Miami | 5.4 | 1,496 | 24° | 9.2 | 12.9 yrs | 21.1 yrs | 10.3 |
| Margate | 5.3 | 1,475 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.1 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
| Coconut Creek | 5.3 | 1,475 | 25° | 9.2 | 13.1 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
| Sarasota | 5.6 | 1,551 | 27° | 8.8 | 12.4 yrs | 20.2 yrs | 9.9 |
| Bradenton | 5.6 | 1,545 | 27° | 8.8 | 12.5 yrs | 20.3 yrs | 10.0 |
| Bonita Springs | 5.5 | 1,533 | 26° | 8.8 | 12.6 yrs | 20.4 yrs | 10.0 |
| Pensacola | 5.4 | 1,509 | 29° | 8.8 | 12.8 yrs | 20.8 yrs | 10.2 |
| Clermont | 5.3 | 1,471 | 28° | 9.2 | 13.1 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.5 |
| Pinellas Park | 5.5 | 1,536 | 27° | 8.8 | 12.6 yrs | 20.3 yrs | 10.0 |
| Ocoee | 5.3 | 1,462 | 28° | 9.2 | 13.2 yrs | 21.3 yrs | 10.5 |
| Fort Pierce | 5.4 | 1,482 | 26° | 9.2 | 13.0 yrs | 21.2 yrs | 10.4 |
NM = exports credited at retail (net metering); NB = exports at ~30% of retail (net billing). Systems sized to the Florida average home. $3.00/W, cash, 25 years.
Rule changes that affect Florida
All changes and deadlines →- Federal: In-service deadline for the lease/PPA solar credit · Tax credits
- Federal: National data: solar prices fell to a median $3.60 per watt · Prices
- Federal: Construction-start deadline passed for the lease/PPA credit · Tax credits
- Federal: The 30% homeowner solar tax credit is gone · Tax credits
Questions about solar in Florida
How much do solar panels cost in Florida?
A 9.2 kW system, the size the average Florida home needs, costs about $23,000 to $34,500 before incentives in 2026.
Is solar worth it in Florida?
In the median Florida city, solar pays for itself in about 13.0 yrs if exported power earns the retail rate, or 21.2 yrs if it earns about 30% of retail. Most utilities here still offer some form of net metering; check yours.
Is there a solar tax credit in Florida?
We know of no statewide income-tax credit for home solar in Florida; utilities and cities sometimes offer rebates. The 30% federal credit ended for homeowner systems installed after December 31, 2025.
How many solar panels does a Florida home need?
About 22 panels of 420 watts for the state-average 1,104 kWh a month. Sunnier cities need fewer: Sarasota gets 1,551 kWh per kW a year, Jacksonville 1,441.