Key takeaways
- Hawaii tops the ranking ($530/yr) but has no plug-in solar law yet.
- California is the best state where balcony solar is legal: about $378 a year, 2.4-year payback.
- Maine, New Jersey and New Hampshire round out the top law states, all in New England's high-price belt.
- Electricity price drives the ranking far more than sunshine: sunny Utah ranks 36th.
- With its 1,920 W cap, Colorado can match top-ten savings for households that use a bigger system.
Where does a balcony solar kit pay off fastest? We ran the same 800 W system through every state's electricity price and sunshine to find out — then overlaid where plug-in solar is actually legal.
The short version: price beats sunshine. The top of the ranking is dominated by expensive-electricity states in New England and the West Coast, not by the sunniest deserts.
How we ranked the states
Every state gets the same setup, so the only differences are the price of electricity and the amount of sun:
- an 800 W kit (two 400 W panels) facing south at about 30°;
- 86% system efficiency (inverter, heat, wiring and dust losses);
- 80% of output used at home — plug-in systems aren't net-metered, so exported power earns nothing;
- each state's average residential price for July 2026 (EIA) and long-term peak sun hours;
- a $900 kit for payback.
Real results depend on your exact rate, placement and shade. Full details are on our methodology page, and you can change every assumption in the calculator.
The full ranking
| # | State | Rate (¢/kWh) | Sun hrs | 800 W kit saves | Payback | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | 48.00 | 5.5 | $530 | 1.7 yrs | Stalled |
| 2 | California | 33.61 | 5.6 | $378 | 2.4 yrs | Legal |
| 3 | Maine | 32.41 | 4 | $260 | 3.5 yrs | Legal |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 30.49 | 4.1 | $251 | 3.6 yrs | Bill moving |
| 5 | New York | 29.90 | 3.9 | $234 | 3.8 yrs | Awaiting signature |
| 6 | Rhode Island | 28.29 | 4.1 | $233 | 3.9 yrs | Stalled |
| 7 | New Jersey | 25.19 | 4.3 | $218 | 4.1 yrs | Legal |
| 8 | New Hampshire | 26.60 | 4 | $214 | 4.2 yrs | Legal |
| 9 | District of Columbia | 25.21 | 4.2 | $213 | 4.2 yrs | Bill moving |
| 10 | New Mexico | 16.09 | 6.2 | $200 | 4.5 yrs | Defeated |
| 11 | Arizona | 15.38 | 6.3 | $195 | 4.6 yrs | Stalled |
| 12 | Connecticut | 24.16 | 4 | $194 | 4.6 yrs | Legal |
| 13 | Vermont | 23.75 | 3.9 | $186 | 4.8 yrs | Legal |
| 14 | Maryland | 21.41 | 4.3 | $185 | 4.9 yrs | Legal |
| 15 | Colorado | 17.00 | 5.4 | $184 | 4.9 yrs | Legal |
| 16 | Michigan | 23.05 | 3.9 | $181 | 5.0 yrs | Bill moving |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | 21.72 | 4 | $175 | 5.2 yrs | Bill moving |
| 18 | Texas | 15.88 | 5.2 | $166 | 5.4 yrs | No bill yet |
| 19 | Alaska | 28.83 | 2.8 | $162 | 5.5 yrs | Stalled |
| 20 | Illinois | 19.22 | 4.2 | $162 | 5.5 yrs | Stalled |
| 21 | Delaware | 18.48 | 4.3 | $160 | 5.6 yrs | Stalled |
| 22 | Virginia | 17.55 | 4.5 | $159 | 5.7 yrs | Legal |
| 23 | Wisconsin | 19.06 | 4.1 | $157 | 5.7 yrs | No bill yet |
| 24 | Georgia | 16.27 | 4.8 | $157 | 5.7 yrs | Defeated |
| 25 | Ohio | 19.45 | 4 | $156 | 5.8 yrs | Bill moving |
| 26 | Nevada | 12.77 | 6 | $154 | 5.8 yrs | No bill yet |
| 27 | Kansas | 15.27 | 5 | $153 | 5.9 yrs | No bill yet |
| 28 | Alabama | 16.40 | 4.6 | $152 | 5.9 yrs | No bill yet |
| 29 | Florida | 15.03 | 5 | $151 | 6.0 yrs | No bill yet |
| 30 | Minnesota | 17.45 | 4.3 | $151 | 6.0 yrs | Stalled |
| 31 | Wyoming | 14.36 | 5.2 | $150 | 6.0 yrs | Defeated |
| 32 | South Carolina | 15.47 | 4.8 | $149 | 6.0 yrs | Stalled |
| 33 | Oklahoma | 14.35 | 5.1 | $147 | 6.1 yrs | Stalled |
| 34 | Missouri | 16.09 | 4.5 | $145 | 6.2 yrs | Stalled |
| 35 | South Dakota | 15.37 | 4.7 | $145 | 6.2 yrs | No bill yet |
| 36 | Utah | 13.12 | 5.5 | $145 | 6.2 yrs | Legal |
| 37 | North Carolina | 15.16 | 4.7 | $143 | 6.3 yrs | Bill moving |
| 38 | Iowa | 15.99 | 4.4 | $141 | 6.4 yrs | Stalled |
| 39 | Indiana | 16.73 | 4.2 | $141 | 6.4 yrs | Stalled |
| 40 | Mississippi | 14.54 | 4.8 | $140 | 6.4 yrs | No bill yet |
| 41 | Montana | 14.99 | 4.6 | $139 | 6.5 yrs | No bill yet |
| 42 | Arkansas | 14.33 | 4.7 | $135 | 6.7 yrs | No bill yet |
| 43 | Idaho | 13.73 | 4.9 | $135 | 6.7 yrs | Stalled |
| 44 | Oregon | 15.97 | 4.2 | $135 | 6.7 yrs | Defeated |
| 45 | Nebraska | 13.78 | 4.8 | $133 | 6.8 yrs | No bill yet |
| 46 | West Virginia | 15.78 | 4 | $127 | 7.1 yrs | No bill yet |
| 47 | Tennessee | 13.71 | 4.5 | $124 | 7.3 yrs | No bill yet |
| 48 | Louisiana | 12.72 | 4.8 | $123 | 7.3 yrs | No bill yet |
| 49 | Kentucky | 13.81 | 4.3 | $119 | 7.5 yrs | No bill yet |
| 50 | North Dakota | 13.41 | 4.4 | $119 | 7.6 yrs | No bill yet |
| 51 | Washington | 14.71 | 3.7 | $109 | 8.2 yrs | Defeated |
The best states where balcony solar is legal today
Only ten states have signed plug-in solar laws. Here is how they rank against each other:
| Rank (of 51) | State | 800 W kit saves | Payback | In force? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | California | $378/yr | 2.4 yrs | From Jan 1, 2027 |
| 3 | Maine | $260/yr | 3.5 yrs | Yes |
| 7 | New Jersey | $218/yr | 4.1 yrs | From Mar 1, 2027 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $214/yr | 4.2 yrs | From Jan 1, 2027 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $194/yr | 4.6 yrs | Yes |
| 13 | Vermont | $186/yr | 4.8 yrs | Yes |
| 14 | Maryland | $185/yr | 4.9 yrs | Yes |
| 15 | Colorado | $184/yr | 4.9 yrs | Yes |
| 22 | Virginia | $159/yr | 5.7 yrs | From Jan 1, 2027 |
| 36 | Utah | $145/yr | 6.2 yrs | Yes |
California: the clear winner
At 33.61¢/kWh and roughly 5.6 peak sun hours, California combines the second-highest electricity prices in the country with some of the best sunshine. A well-placed 800 W kit pays for itself in under two and a half years — and on time-of-use plans with expensive evenings, a west-facing kit or a small battery can do even better. Read SB 868 explained.
New England: expensive power, decent sun
Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Vermont all pay well above the national average for electricity. Even with only about four peak sun hours, that makes every kilowatt-hour worth a lot, and paybacks land between three and a half and five years.
Colorado: the size advantage
Colorado's rate is near the national average, so an 800 W kit ranks mid-table. But Colorado is the only state that allows 1,920 W. A household that can use a larger system on a dedicated 20-amp circuit could roughly double its savings, to well over $400 a year, which would put it among the leaders.
Utah: sunny but cheap
Utah, the first state to legalize plug-in solar, has excellent sunshine but some of the lowest electricity prices in the country. Its kit saves less than Vermont's despite about 40% more sun.
The states to watch
Several high-ranking states don't have a law yet:
- Hawaii (#1) would be the best plug-in solar market in the country at 48¢/kWh. Its 2026 bill stalled.
- Massachusetts (#4) has plug-in provisions in a bill now in conference committee.
- New York (#5): the SUNNY Act awaits the governor's signature. Details.
- Rhode Island (#6) and DC (#9) both have high prices and pending or stalled bills.
We'll update this ranking as laws pass and as new EIA price data is published. Check your state's status in the tracker.
Frequently asked questions
Which state is best for balcony solar?
Among states where plug-in solar is legal, California is the best: high electricity prices (33.6¢/kWh) and strong sunshine mean a well-placed 800 W kit saves about $378 a year. Hawaii would rank first overall, but it has no plug-in solar law yet.
Where is balcony solar least worth it?
In states with cheap electricity and modest sunshine — such as Washington, North Dakota and Kentucky — an 800 W kit saves around $110–$120 a year, for paybacks of seven to eight years.
How was this ranking calculated?
For each state we modeled a south-facing, tilted 800 W kit with 86% system efficiency, the state's average peak sun hours and 80% of output used at home, valued at the state's July 2026 average residential electricity price from the EIA. Payback assumes a $900 kit.