Solar panels in North Carolina: savings by city
North Carolina’s average residential electricity price for January to August 2026 was 14.94¢ per kWh, 3.25¢ below the US average of 18.19¢ (EIA).
Panels in the 12 cities we cover here produce an average of 1,441 kWh per kW a year, 5% less than the average of the 400 US cities in our data (1,517 kWh). Charlotte gets the most sun of the cities listed below (1,417 kWh per kW) and Raleigh the least (1,395 kWh). For an average US home, that is the difference between a 7.6 kW and a 7.7 kW system to cover a year’s use.
At this price, a system that covers an average US home’s use (10,788 kWh a year) saves about $1,612 in its first year anywhere in North Carolina. Sunnier cities need a smaller system to do it, so it costs less at any price per watt.
Cities in North Carolina
| City | kWh per kW a year | System size |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | 1,417 | 7.6 kW |
| Raleigh | 1,395 | 7.7 kW |
Each row is a home using the US average amount of electricity, with a system sized to cover it, at 14.94¢ per kWh. Enter your installer’s quote on any city page to see payback.
Sources
Electricity price: www.eia.gov (checked 2026-11-11). North Carolina, residential sector, year-to-date through August 2026. Published as 14.94 cents per kilowatthour.
Solar output: PVWatts V8 for each place; each place’s page links its own request. Methodology