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Average price of $3.00-$3.40/W for residential systems. Even without the federal tax credit, MA state incentives make solar a strong investment.
Cost/Watt
$3.16
avg
11kW System
$34,760
avg
Payback
7.8 yrs
25-Year Savings
$147K+
Quick Answer
Solar panels in Massachusetts cost an average of $3.16/W in 2026. A typical 11 kW system runs $33,000-$37,400 before incentives. Payback is approximately 7.5-8.5 years with SMART 3.0 + net metering. 25-year savings exceed $147,000.
Federal Solar Tax Credit (Section 25D) Expired
Homeowners who buy solar with cash or a loan receive $0 in federal tax credits. Section 25D expired December 31, 2025 under the OBBBA (signed July 4, 2025).
Cost/Watt
$3.16
MA average
Avg System
$34,760
11 kW
Payback
7.8 years
with MA incentives
25-Year Savings
$147,000+
estimated total
Pricing for residential solar systems in Massachusetts in 2026. All prices are before state incentives. No federal 25D tax credit is available.
| System Size | Panels | Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| 5 kW | 12-15 | $15,500 - $17,500 |
| 8 kW | 20-24 | $24,000 - $27,200 |
| 11 kWPOPULAR | 27-33 | $33,000 - $37,400 |
| 13 kW | 32-39 | $39,000 - $44,200 |
| 15 kW | 37-45 | $45,000 - $51,000 |
Prices reflect average 2026 MA installed costs ($3.00-$3.40/W). Do not include any federal tax credit (25D expired). Actual system size depends on electricity consumption, roof orientation, and shading.
Customize system size, cost, and utility to see your real-world return. Includes SMART 3.0 income, net metering, ConnectedSolutions, and MA tax exemptions.
Estimate your solar return on investment with SMART income, net metering credits, ConnectedSolutions, and MA tax benefits.
Federal Residential Solar Tax Credit (Section 25D) Expired
Homeowners who purchase solar with cash or a loan receive $0 in federal tax credits. Section 25D expired December 31, 2025.
Eastern MA (Boston, South Shore, Cape Cod, MetroWest, Western MA)
Electric Rate
$0.28/kWh
Net Metering
1:1 retail credit (Class I ≤25 kW)
SMART 3.0 Rate
$0.03/kWh
Interconnection
2-4 weeks typical
20-year exemption — solar adds $0 to your property tax
Payback Period
7
years
25-Year Savings
$114,687
total
Monthly Benefit
$378
per month
Estimates based on average 2026 MA solar pricing, SMART 3.0 $0.03/kWh residential flat rate, 1:1 retail net metering, 6.25% sales tax exemption, 20-year property tax exemption, and 15% state tax credit (max $1,000). Section 25D residential ITC expired Dec 31, 2025 — $0 federal tax credit for cash/loan purchases.
The federal tax credit is dead, but Massachusetts has some of the strongest state solar incentives in the country.
Pricing varies by location due to labor costs, roof complexity, and local market conditions.
| City | Price/Watt | Utility |
|---|---|---|
| Boston | $3.10 - $3.50/W | Eversource |
| Cambridge | $3.15 - $3.50/W | Eversource |
| Worcester | $2.90 - $3.30/W | National Grid |
| Springfield | $2.85 - $3.25/W | Eversource (Western MA) |
| Cape Cod | $3.10 - $3.55/W | Eversource |
Western MA areas (Springfield, Pittsfield) tend to have lower pricing ($2.85-$3.25/W) compared to Greater Boston ($3.10-$3.50/W).
These factors explain why solar prices range from $3.00 to $3.40/W across Massachusetts.
Asphalt shingle roofs are cheapest to install on. Tile, slate, and metal add 5-15%. Flat roofs require ballasted racking with tilt mounting. Historic districts (Beacon Hill, Back Bay) may require design review board approval.
South-facing roofs at 30-35 degrees are ideal for MA latitude (42.3N). East or west-facing roofs produce 10-15% less. North-facing roofs are not recommended. Production modeling determines exact output.
MA is heavily wooded. Even partial shade from trees or neighboring buildings reduces output significantly. Microinverters or optimizers mitigate shading impact better than string inverters but add cost.
MA has streamlined solar permitting under the Solar Permitting Guide. Most municipalities offer over-the-counter permits for residential solar. Some historic districts require additional review (2-4 week delay).
MA has the highest solar installer demand in New England. Competition for NABCEP-certified crews drives labor costs higher than neighboring states. Winter installation may offer 5-10% discounts when demand drops.
Cape Cod, South Shore, North Shore, and island installations require marine-grade racking and corrosion-resistant hardware. Wind exposure adds structural requirements. Expect 5-15% cost premium in coastal areas.
Premium panels (REC Alpha, SunPower Maxeon) cost $0.30-0.50/W more than Tier 1 alternatives (Qcells, Canadian Solar, Longi) with similar 25-year warranties. Microinverters (Enphase) add $0.15-0.25/W over string inverters.
Homes with 100A or 150A panels may need a 200A upgrade ($1,500-$3,000 extra). Most modern MA homes have 200A panels. Older homes in Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville are more likely to need upgrades.
Section 25D — the residential solar tax credit — expired December 31, 2025 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed July 4, 2025. Homeowners who purchase solar panels with cash or a loan receive $0 in federal tax credits in 2026.
What This Means for You:
Exception — PPA/Lease (Section 48):
Third-party solar PPA and lease providers can still claim the 30% Section 48/48E ITC for projects beginning construction before July 4, 2026. The ITC savings are passed through to you as a below-retail electricity rate. The system OWNER claims the ITC — not the homeowner or installer.
Breakdown for a typical 11 kW system in Massachusetts. No federal tax credit, but state incentives remain strong.
Would have been ~$10,428 at 30%. Now $0.
Immediate savings at purchase
Claim on your state return
$0.03/kWh x ~13,200 kWh/yr x 20 years
~$396/yr x 20 years
1:1 retail rate credit (~$0.28-0.33/kWh)
Payback Period
7.8
years
25-Year Savings
$147K+
estimated total
Monthly Benefit
$340+
per month (average)
PPA/Lease note: If you choose a solar PPA or lease, the financing company claims the 30% Section 48 ITC (still available through July 4, 2026). The ITC savings are passed through to you as a below-retail electricity rate. $0 out of your pocket.
All MA prices above are total installed costs. Here is what is included:
Not included: Roof repairs, electrical panel upgrades (if needed), tree removal, battery storage. These are quoted separately and vary by home.
Despite losing the federal tax credit, Massachusetts remains one of the best states for solar in the country.
Massachusetts pays $0.28-$0.33/kWh — double the national average. Every kWh you produce saves more than in almost any other state. Net metering at 1:1 retail rate at these prices makes solar extremely valuable even without federal subsidies.
No other state program pays you for 20 years at a fixed rate. SMART 3.0 pays $0.03/kWh ($0.06 for low-income) on top of your net metering savings. An 11 kW system earns ~$396/year or ~$7,920 over 20 years, from SMART alone.
Massachusetts offers sales tax exemption (6.25% = ~$2,175 saved), property tax exemption (20 years = ~$7,920 saved), and a state tax credit (15%, max $1,000). These three together reduce your effective cost by ~$11,095 over the life of the system.
If you add a battery, you can earn $225-$1,500+/year through ConnectedSolutions (Eversource and National Grid). A Tesla Powerwall 3 with Eversource can earn ~$3,738/year in demand response payments, dramatically improving solar+battery economics.
Solar adds ~4% to home value. On a median MA home (~$580,000), that is ~$23,000 in added value — and with the 20-year property tax exemption, you pay zero additional taxes on that added value. Solar homes in MA sell faster.
Answers to the most common questions about solar panel costs in Massachusetts in 2026.
Yes. Massachusetts has the highest residential electricity rates in the continental US (~$0.28-0.33/kWh). Combined with SMART 3.0 payments ($0.03/kWh for 20 years), 1:1 net metering, sales tax exemption (6.25%), property tax exemption (20 years), and a $1,000 state tax credit, the payback period is 7.5-8.5 years even without the federal 25D ITC. After payback, you enjoy 17+ years of nearly free electricity. The 25-year savings exceed $140,000 for a typical 11 kW system.
Solar panels in Massachusetts cost $3.00-$3.40 per watt installed in 2026. A typical 11 kW system (the average for MA homes) costs $33,000-$37,400 before incentives. The average installed price is $3.16/W or about $34,760 for 11 kW. Prices are higher in Boston and Cambridge ($3.10-$3.50/W) and lower in Springfield and Worcester ($2.85-$3.30/W). There is no federal 25D tax credit available for cash or loan purchases — it expired December 31, 2025.
SMART (Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target) 3.0 is the state solar incentive program administered by MassDOER and MassCEC. For residential systems 25 kW or smaller, SMART 3.0 pays $0.03/kWh flat rate for 20 years. Low-income households qualify for $0.06/kWh (double the standard rate). Additional adders are available: battery storage adds $0.04/kWh, building-mounted adds $0.02/kWh. A typical 11 kW system earns approximately $396/year in SMART payments, or $7,920 over 20 years.
For a cash purchase, solar panels pay for themselves in approximately 7.5-8.5 years in Massachusetts. This factors in SMART 3.0 income ($396/yr), net metering credits ($3,100-$3,700/yr at MA rates), sales tax savings ($2,175 upfront), state tax credit ($1,000), and property tax exemption ($396/yr). With a solar loan, payback extends to 10-13 years depending on interest rate. After payback, you benefit from free electricity for 17-18+ additional years.
Four options exist in 2026: (1) Cash purchase — highest long-term return, 7.5-8.5 year payback. (2) Solar loan — 5.5-8% APR through local MA lenders and credit unions, $0 down, 10-20 year terms, you own the system. Note: the MassCEC Mass Solar Loan program ended in 2020. Current solar loans are available through local banks and credit unions at market rates. (3) Solar PPA/Lease — the third-party owner claims the Section 48 ITC (30%, still available through July 4, 2026), passing savings as a below-retail rate. $0 upfront, immediate savings. (4) Community solar — no installation needed, 10-20% bill savings.
Yes. Studies show solar adds approximately 4% to home value nationally. On a median MA home (~$580,000), that is roughly $23,000 in added value — often more than the net cost of the system after incentives. Critically, Massachusetts property tax exemption for solar lasts 20 years, meaning your home value increases but your property taxes do not increase. Buyer surveys consistently show MA homes with solar sell faster than comparable non-solar homes.
ConnectedSolutions is a demand response program run by Eversource and National Grid (Unitil does not participate). If you have a battery system, you earn payments for discharging during peak grid events. Eversource pays $275/kW in summer and $50/kW in winter. A Tesla Powerwall 3 (11.5 kW) enrolled with Eversource can earn approximately $3,163 in summer plus $575 in winter, totaling $3,738/year. Typical residential batteries earn $225-$1,500/year depending on size and utility.
Eversource has the highest average rate (~$0.28/kWh) making net metering most valuable, plus the highest ConnectedSolutions payments ($275/kW summer). National Grid (~$0.27/kWh) also offers ConnectedSolutions. Unitil (~$0.24/kWh) has the lowest rate and does NOT participate in ConnectedSolutions. All three IOUs offer 1:1 retail net metering for systems 25 kW or smaller. Bottom line: Eversource territory provides the best overall solar economics in MA.
Explore more Massachusetts solar resources to make the best decision.
Complete guide to solar in Massachusetts
Read moreEverything about SMART 3.0 income
Read moreBattery, low-income, and other adders
Read moreRate and solar comparison between the two IOUs
Read moreBoston-specific pricing and considerations
Read moreDo you need a panel upgrade for solar?
Read moreGet exact pricing for your roof, your utility, and your financing option. Includes SMART 3.0 income projections, ConnectedSolutions revenue, and financing comparison.
No obligation. No pressure. Just honest information about MA solar costs.