How much will solar panels cost?

New York State (NYSERDA program data)

Home solar systems bought outright and completed under NYSERDA programs in New York State had a median of $38,702; the typical range (middle half of 12,001 NYSERDA program data points, New York State (NYSERDA program data), 2025-2026) was $28,520 to $51,000.

By system size: a median of $3.84 per watt; the typical range (middle half of 12,001 NYSERDA program data points, New York State (NYSERDA program data), 2025-2026) was $3.20 per watt to $5.09 per watt.

How measured: owned, completed home systems, untrimmed; project cost divided by system size in watts. Source: NYSERDA, Solar Electric Programs Reported by NYSERDA: Beginning 2000, data read 16 October 2026.

These figures are estimates from NYSERDA, Solar Electric Programs Reported by NYSERDA: Beginning 2000, data years 2025-2026, read 16 October 2026, for New York State (NYSERDA program data). They are not a quote, and they are not a promise of what any contractor on InstaBids will charge. Your price depends on your home, the materials and the contractor. Get written bids before you decide.

Researched by the InstaBids editorial team. Last checked: 16 October 2026 Updated 2026-10-16

How much does it cost to install solar panels?

The national housing survey used on the other cost pages has no solar item, so this page leads with program records. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority publishes the project cost reported for each system in its programs, and the figures above keep only homes that bought their system rather than leasing it or signing a power purchase agreement.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, AHS 2023 Value Labels Package, read 16 October 2026.
Source: NYSERDA, Solar Electric Programs Reported by NYSERDA, read 16 October 2026.

The median system in that set is 9.2 kW, and the per-watt row puts systems of different sizes on one scale.

How much do solar panels cost in Florida?

Miami-Dade County's permit list holds the value declared on each residential electrical permit whose description mentions solar. Too few of those descriptions give a system size to report a per-watt figure, so the county block is by job only.

Source: Miami-Dade County building permits, read 16 October 2026.

Miami-Dade County, FL: declared value on building permits

Residential solar permits issued in Miami-Dade County declared a median declared value on building permits of $26,842; the typical range (middle half of 1,596 Miami-Dade County permit data points, Miami-Dade County, FL, 2024-2026) was $16,304 to $44,668.

Declared permit values are what applicants reported to the county; final contract prices can differ.

How measured: residential permits with a declared value, untrimmed. Source: Miami-Dade County building permits, data read 16 October 2026.

These figures are estimates from Miami-Dade County building permits, data years 2024-2026, read 16 October 2026, for Miami-Dade County, FL. They are not a quote, and they are not a promise of what any contractor on InstaBids will charge. Your price depends on your home, the materials and the contractor. Get written bids before you decide.

What changes the cost of solar panels for a home?

System size: systems differ in size, so the New York block also shows cost per watt, which puts a small system and a large one on the same scale.
Owning or leasing: only systems the homeowner bought are counted; the source lists leased systems and power purchase agreements separately, and they are left out here.
Source: NYSERDA, Solar Electric Programs Reported by NYSERDA, read 16 October 2026.
Which record: New York's figures are project costs reported to a state program, while Miami-Dade's are values written on permit applications, and the county median is below the New York one.
Timing: the New York systems were installed in 2025 and 2026, and the Miami-Dade permits were issued in 2024 to 2026.

Get written bids

Contractors who take part estimate from your photos and a written scope card, so nobody visits before you see any prices. InstaBids is in an early pilot in Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Sources for the figures on this page

NYSERDA, Solar Electric Programs Reported by NYSERDA: Beginning 2000, https://data.ny.gov/Energy-Environment/Solar-Electric-Programs-Reported-by-NYSERDA-Beginn/3x8r-34rs, read 16 October 2026. Used under the OPEN-NY Terms of Use; no endorsement by New York State or NYSERDA is implied.
Miami-Dade County building permits, https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=6db5f56e886446df88313ca279e59120, read 16 October 2026. County open data, as is; no endorsement implied.
U.S. Census Bureau, AHS 2023 Value Labels Package, www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/ahs/2023/AHS%202023%20Value%20Labels%20Package.zip, read 16 October 2026.