Solar panels in Tennessee: savings by city
Tennessee’s average residential electricity price for January to August 2026 was 13.80¢ per kWh, 4.39¢ below the US average of 18.19¢ (EIA).
Panels in the 7 cities we cover here produce an average of 1,383 kWh per kW a year, 9% less than the average of the 400 US cities in our data (1,517 kWh). Memphis gets the most sun of the cities listed below (1,464 kWh per kW) and Nashville the least (1,361 kWh). For an average US home, that is the difference between a 7.4 kW and a 7.9 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 $1,489 in its first year anywhere in Tennessee. Sunnier cities need a smaller system to do it, so it costs less at any price per watt.
Cities in Tennessee
| City | kWh per kW a year | System size |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis | 1,464 | 7.4 kW |
| Nashville | 1,361 | 7.9 kW |
Each row is a home using the US average amount of electricity, with a system sized to cover it, at 13.80¢ per kWh. Enter your installer’s quote on any city page to see payback.
Sources
Electricity price: www.eia.gov (checked 2026-11-11). Tennessee, residential sector, year-to-date through August 2026. Published as 13.80 cents per kilowatthour.
Solar output: PVWatts V8 for each place; each place’s page links its own request. Methodology