If you researched the cost of solar a year ago, the answer you found was built on a 30% federal tax credit for homeowners. That credit expired for systems installed after December 31, 2025.
So, is solar worth it in New Hampshire now? For many homes, yes, but it depends on 2026 numbers. This post lays out every assumption so you can check the math yourself.
The 5 Numbers That Decide If Solar Is Worth It in New Hampshire
1. System Cost
The average installed cost in New Hampshire is about $2.90 per watt, according to EnergySage, a solar marketplace that tracks real quotes. That puts a 10-kilowatt (kW) residential solar system at roughly $29,000. A kW is 1,000 watts.
2. Production
A well-sited system in New Hampshire typically produces about 1,200 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year for every kW installed. A kWh is the energy it takes to run 1,000 watts for 1 hour. That 10 kW system would produce about 12,000 kWh a year.
3. The Electricity Rate You’re Replacing
Your electric bill lists the rate you pay per kWh for supply and delivery. Eversource’s supply rate alone is now about 14 cents per kWh, which we cover below.
4. Net Metering
When your solar panels produce more than your home uses, the extra goes to the grid. Your utility credits you for this but not at full price. This means solar power your home uses directly is worth more than power you send to the grid. Under current rules, systems that enroll now keep that credit structure for the long term.
5. Incentives
There’s no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy with cash or a loan in 2026, and New Hampshire’s residential solar rebate is closed. New Hampshire has no sales tax, and many towns offer a property tax exemption for solar, which we cover later in the post.
The Solar Payback Period in New Hampshire Is About 11 Years
The average solar payback period in New Hampshire is about 11 years, based on data updated in September 2026. That estimate excludes the expired federal credit. It’s an average across real New Hampshire quotes, so your own payback period depends on your electricity use, your roof, and your utility.
Here’s why the number moved. On a $29,000 system, the old 30% credit was worth about $8,700. Without it, homeowners recover that amount through electricity savings instead, which adds years to the payback period.
If you see a New Hampshire solar payback figure under 10 years for a cash or loan purchase in 2026, check whether it still subtracts a 30% federal tax credit. Some online calculators and guides still haven’t removed it. An outdated credit line means the payback figure is also outdated.
Solar Return on Investment After the Payback Point
Once a system pays for itself, the savings in the remaining years are your return. The average New Hampshire homeowner saves roughly $70,000 over 25 years after accounting for the upfront cost of an average-sized system, which is about 13 kW.
Investing in solar works differently from investing in the stock market. It’s less liquid, and returns depend on your electricity use and future rates. It’s closer to prepaying for electricity you would eventually buy. Our solar panels carry 25-year warranties, so the years after payback typically make up more than half of a system’s warrantied life. Savings on your electric bill generally aren’t treated as taxable income, but ask your tax advisor how that applies to you.
In 2026, solar is a reasonable use of capital, and whether it’s the right one depends on your home, your finances, and how long you plan to stay.
How Electricity Rate Changes Affect Solar Payback
Every payback estimate assumes something about future electricity prices. On August 1, 2026, Eversource’s residential supply rate rose from about 11 cents to about 14 cents per kWh, an increase of nearly 25% in a single rate change.
Rates can also fall, and no one can promise where they’ll go next. Faster rate increases shorten your payback period, and slower ones lengthen it, so your proposal should show the rate assumption it uses.
Paying Cash vs. Financing Solar in New Hampshire
Paying Cash
A cash purchase typically gives you the shortest payback period and the highest lifetime return, since there’s no interest.
Financing With a Solar Loan
A loan changes the question. Instead of asking when you break even, you compare your monthly loan payment to the electric bill it replaces. Depending on the term, the payment can be higher or lower than the savings in the first years, so ask to see both side by side. Interest reduces lifetime savings: for an average New Hampshire system, estimated 25-year savings drop from roughly $70,000 with cash to roughly $29,000 with a loan.
We work with EastRise Credit Union on fixed-rate solar loans for our customers, with several term lengths to choose from. Rates depend on term and credit, and these loans aren’t secured by your home. Our solar financing page has current loan details.
We don’t offer solar leases or power purchase agreements.
How Solar Panels Affect Home Value in New Hampshire
An owned solar system can add value when you sell your home, while a leased system typically needs to be transferred to the buyer, which can complicate a sale.
New Hampshire towns can choose to exempt the added value of a solar system from property taxes. To claim it, file Form PA-29 with your town by April 15. Adoption varies by town, so check with your local assessor. Our guide to selling a home with solar panels covers the rest.
Get Solar Numbers Built on Your Own Home
Granite State Solar has been installing solar across New Hampshire since 2008. Our in-house crews handle every installation, and we back each project with a 12-year workmanship guarantee.
Every project starts with a free, no-pressure site visit, the first step in our solar installation process. We’ll look at your roof and shading, review your last 12 months of electric bills, and give you a written proposal with the system cost, production estimate, rate assumption, and payback period all shown, so you can check every number yourself.
Sources
- EnergySage. “The Cost of Solar Panels in New Hampshire (2026).” Updated September 18, 2026. https://www.energysage.com/local-data/solar-panel-cost/nh/
- Eversource. “New Hampshire Renewable Energy Certificates.” Accessed September 2026. https://www.eversource.com/residential/about/doing-business-with-us/interconnections/new-hampshire/renewable-energy-certificates
- Eversource. “New Hampshire Electric Supply Rates.” Accessed September 2026. https://www.eversource.com/residential/account-billing/manage-bill/about-your-bill/rates-tariffs/electric-supply-rates/nh
- New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration. Form PA-29, application for property tax exemptions. https://www.revenue.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt736/files/documents/pa-29-2025_pro.pdf
