Solar panels in Illinois: savings by city
Illinois’s average residential electricity price for January to August 2026 was 19.23¢ per kWh, 1.04¢ above the US average of 18.19¢ (EIA).
Panels in the 9 cities we cover here produce an average of 1,386 kWh per kW a year, 9% less than the average of the 400 US cities in our data (1,517 kWh).
At this price, a system that covers an average US home’s use (10,788 kWh a year) saves about $2,075 in its first year anywhere in Illinois. Sunnier cities need a smaller system to do it, so it costs less at any price per watt.
Cities in Illinois
| City | kWh per kW a year | System size |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 1,369 | 7.9 kW |
Each row is a home using the US average amount of electricity, with a system sized to cover it, at 19.23¢ per kWh. Enter your installer’s quote on any city page to see payback.
Sources
Electricity price: www.eia.gov (checked 2026-11-11). Illinois, residential sector, year-to-date through August 2026. Published as 19.23 cents per kilowatthour.
Solar output: PVWatts V8 for each place; each place’s page links its own request. Methodology