Is Solar Worth It in Missouri in 2026?
Missouri isn't the Sunshine State, but it isn't a bad solar climate either. St. Louis gets about 1,361 kWh of production per installed kilowatt per year — less than Florida or Arizona, more than most of the Northeast. What drives the Missouri math is the electric bill: the state's residential rate has climbed 91 percent since 2005, keeping pace at roughly 1.9 percent a year over the last decade. Every increase makes the power your own roof makes worth a little more.
But 2026 changed the deal here too. The 30 percent federal tax credit that used to cut thousands off a system's price ended for installs completed after December 31, 2025. Missouri never had a state credit to fall back on, and its one attempt at a property tax break for solar was struck down by the state Supreme Court in 2022. Net metering survives by state law, but pays a below-retail "avoided cost" rate on most utilities, not full retail. That doesn't make solar a bad idea here — it means payback is longer and more utility-specific than a sales pitch will admit. This page gives you Missouri's real numbers.
Missouri Electricity Prices Keep Climbing
Solar is a bet against future electricity prices — every kWh your panels make is one you don't buy from Ameren, Evergy, or your local co-op. Here's the long view, from federal EIA data.
Full Missouri electricity price data (1990–2025)
| Year | Missouri (¢/kWh) | US avg (¢/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 7.4 | 7.8 |
| 1991 | 7.4 | 8.0 |
| 1992 | 7.4 | 8.2 |
| 1993 | 7.3 | 8.3 |
| 1994 | 7.3 | 8.4 |
| 1995 | 7.3 | 8.4 |
| 1996 | 7.1 | 8.4 |
| 1997 | 7.1 | 8.4 |
| 1998 | 7.1 | 8.3 |
| 1999 | 7.1 | 8.2 |
| 2000 | 7.0 | 8.2 |
| 2001 | 7.0 | 8.6 |
| 2002 | 7.1 | 8.4 |
| 2003 | 7.0 | 8.7 |
| 2004 | 7.0 | 9.0 |
| 2005 | 7.1 | 9.5 |
| 2006 | 7.4 | 10.4 |
| 2007 | 7.7 | 10.7 |
| 2008 | 8.0 | 11.3 |
| 2009 | 8.5 | 11.5 |
| 2010 | 9.1 | 11.5 |
| 2011 | 9.8 | 11.7 |
| 2012 | 10.2 | 11.9 |
| 2013 | 10.6 | 12.1 |
| 2014 | 10.6 | 12.5 |
| 2015 | 11.2 | 12.7 |
| 2016 | 11.2 | 12.6 |
| 2017 | 11.6 | 12.9 |
| 2018 | 11.3 | 12.9 |
| 2019 | 11.1 | 13.0 |
| 2020 | 11.2 | 13.2 |
| 2021 | 11.4 | 13.7 |
| 2022 | 11.7 | 15.0 |
| 2023 | 12.6 | 16.0 |
| 2024 | 12.9 | 16.5 |
| 2025 * | 13.5 | 17.3 |
Source: US EIA, average residential retail electricity price. Values in cents per kWh. * 2025 is preliminary.
Missouri residential rates sit around 13.5¢ per kWh as of the EIA's preliminary 2025 figures, up 91 percent since 2005 — a bigger percentage jump than many higher-rate states, even though the absolute rate is still below the national average. The last decade's pace, about 1.9 percent a year, is a floor, not a ceiling — fuel costs, grid investment, and storm recovery all show up in rates eventually. A lower starting rate than Florida or California means Missouri solar has to work a little harder to pencil out, which is exactly why the incentives below matter.
The Missouri Sun, Month by Month
Panels respond to how high the sun climbs and how long it stays up, not to air temperature. Missouri sits at about 38.4°N latitude — solidly mid-country, north of Florida but with noticeably stronger sun angles than the Great Lakes states.
Missouri monthly solar production data
| Month | kWh per installed kW |
|---|---|
| Jan | 94 |
| Feb | 98 |
| Mar | 117 |
| Apr | 125 |
| May | 127 |
| Jun | 127 |
| Jul | 130 |
| Aug | 131 |
| Sep | 117 |
| Oct | 120 |
| Nov | 98 |
| Dec | 78 |
| Year | 1361 |
Source: NREL PVWatts typical-year estimate (St. Louis), per installed kW at latitude tilt.
Expect a strong spring-into-summer run and a real winter dip. St. Louis gets around 205 sunny days a year, close to the national average — not overcast, but not the Southwest either. Humidity and haze shave a bit off peak-summer output, so April, May, and September tend to out-produce midsummer. If your highest bills land in July and August from air conditioning, net metering (below) is what lets spring production carry that load.
What Solar Costs in Missouri in 2026
Missouri's average installed price runs about $2.51 per watt before any incentive, per EnergySage data as of mid-2026. With the federal credit gone for owned systems, that per-watt price is close to what a cash or loan buyer actually pays.
| System Size | Typical 2026 Cost | Roughly Offsets | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 kW | ~$12,565 | ~6,800 kWh/yr (~$77/mo at 13.5¢) | Smaller home, lower usage |
| 8 kW | ~$20,080 | ~10,900 kWh/yr (~$123/mo) | Average-size home |
| 12 kW | ~$30,120 | ~16,300 kWh/yr (~$184/mo) | Near Missouri's ~12.6 kW average |
Missouri's average installed system runs about 12.59 kW and costs roughly $26,900 to $36,400. Unlike Florida, Missouri does not exempt solar equipment from sales tax for a homeowner purchase (see incentives, below), so state and local sales tax applies on top. Compare price-per-watt across at least three local quotes — roof complexity, panel brand, and mounting all move the number.
Estimate Your Missouri Payback
The calculator below starts from Missouri's average electricity rate and St. Louis-area production. Enter your own monthly bill to see an estimated system size, payback period, and 25-year outlook. Missouri's rate has grown about 1.9 percent a year over the last decade — a reasonable default for the inflation field, though you can drag it to test other assumptions.
Missouri Solar Incentives in 2026
Here's what's gone, what never existed, and what's left.
- Gone — the 30 percent federal credit: The federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (25D) was repealed for installations completed after December 31, 2025. If a quote still bakes it into "your cost after incentives," that math is outdated.
- Never existed — a state tax credit or rebate: Missouri's DNR doesn't run a statewide residential solar credit or rebate, and warns homeowners to "be wary of any sales pitch that claims the government will pay for your solar panels."
- No sales tax exemption for homeowners: RSMo 144.030(46) exempts solar equipment from sales tax — but only for companies building systems later sold, leased, or used to generate power for resale. The Department of Revenue's own rule states plainly that a homeowner buying panels for their own house does not qualify. Expect to pay full state and local sales tax.
- Utility-level rebates, patchwork and unpredictable: No state program, but some utilities run their own — Ameren Missouri has offered per-kW rebates in past years, funded annually and subject to running out, and Columbia Water & Light publishes a tiered rebate for its own service area. Ask your specific utility what's currently funded.
- Financing, not a rebate: Missouri's EIERA has been reported to be standing up a federally-funded "Solar for All" financing program — loan access, not a credit. Check dnr.mo.gov for current status.
- Leases and PPAs: Third-party-owned systems can still capture a separate federal business credit (48E) through 2027 — but it belongs to the leasing company, not you. Compare a lease against buying before assuming it's the deal.
Net Metering Under Missouri's Easy Connection Act
Missouri's net metering is written into state law: the 2007 Easy Connection Act (RSMo 386.890) requires every utility in the state — Ameren Missouri, Evergy Missouri Metro, Evergy Missouri West, Liberty, municipal utilities, and rural co-ops — to offer net metering, with streamlined interconnection for systems up to 10 kW and a 100 kW overall cap.
The catch is the rate. This isn't full-retail net metering. Under the standard framework, your utility banks excess generation monthly and credits it at its avoided-cost rate, not the retail rate you pay. Ameren Missouri, for example, has credited banked excess around 5.4¢ per kWh in summer and 3.9¢ in winter — well under its roughly 11 to 13¢ retail rate. Evergy's residential tariff is reported closer to full retail 1:1 crediting by several secondary sources, but the utility's PSC-filed tariff is the definitive answer, so confirm directly with Evergy. True-up happens monthly, not annually — and bills to raise the 100 kW cap or move to an annual true-up have been introduced in recent Missouri General Assembly sessions but had not passed into law as of mid-2026. Treat any "annual true-up" or "cap eliminated" claim as proposed, not current, until confirmed with the Missouri PSC or your utility's filed tariff.
Property Taxes: Your County Assessor Decides, Not the State
This is the one that trips people up. Missouri once exempted home solar from property tax — RSMo 137.100(10), passed in 2013, exempted "solar energy systems not held for resale." The Missouri Supreme Court struck it down as unconstitutional in Johnson v. Springfield Solar 1, LLC (Aug. 9, 2022), ruling that Article X, Section 6 of the state constitution lists the only categories of property-tax exemption the legislature may create — and solar wasn't one. Attempts to restore an exemption (SB 213, SB 214) have not passed.
So as of 2026 there's no statutory shield. A county assessor can legally add a solar system's value onto your assessment, raising your property tax bill. Most Missouri assessors currently choose not to routinely reassess for typical rooftop systems — but nothing in state law requires that restraint, and it varies county to county. Don't take a salesperson's word that "solar is property-tax exempt in Missouri." Call your own county assessor's office and ask how they currently treat residential solar before you install. See our property taxes and home finances guide for how assessments and appeals work generally.
How to Go Solar in Missouri
Work through these in order before you sign anything.
- Pull your last 12 power bills and find your true average monthly cost — Missouri bills swing between mild spring months and AC-heavy summer peaks.
- Confirm your roof faces south, east, or west with minimal shading; north-facing or heavily shaded roofs rarely pay off here.
- Check your roof has at least 10 to 15 years of life left, or budget to replace it first — see our roofing guide.
- Call your county assessor's office and ask directly how solar affects your assessed value.
- Get the current net metering tariff and export rate in writing from your specific utility before you sign — it varies a lot by provider.
- Ask every installer which utility rebates currently apply to your address, and get at least three quotes to compare price per watt and warranties.
- Have a licensed electrician confirm your panel and service can handle the interconnection — see our electrical guide.
For how solar panels actually work, sizing, and the buy-versus-lease decision in depth, read our main solar panels guide — this page focuses on what's specific to Missouri.
Sources
Figures on this page are 2026-current. Electricity rates: US EIA, Electric Sales, Revenue, and Average Price (2025 values preliminary). Production estimate: NREL PVWatts. Net metering law: RSMo §386.890, the Easy Connection Act and the Missouri DNR net metering guide. Property tax ruling: Johnson v. Springfield Solar 1, LLC summary and the Missouri State Tax Commission assessor guidance. Sales tax rule: Missouri DOR Letter Ruling LR 8258. State program status: Missouri DNR Solar Energy page. Cost data: EnergySage Missouri solar cost data. We review these figures every six months.