Solar Data by State
Average peak sun hours, electricity rates, and latitude for all 50 US states plus DC. Data used in our solar calculators.
| State | Peak Sun Hours/Day | Electricity Rate (¢/kWh) | Latitude (°N) | Solar Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama (AL) | 4.5 | 13.9¢ | 32.4° | Good |
| Alaska (AK) | 3 | 24.2¢ | 64.2° | Low |
| Arizona (AZ) | 6.5 | 13.6¢ | 33.4° | Excellent |
| Arkansas (AR) | 4.5 | 12.5¢ | 34.7° | Good |
| California (CA) | 5.5 | 27.1¢ | 36.8° | Excellent |
| Colorado (CO) | 5.5 | 14.2¢ | 39.7° | Excellent |
| Connecticut (CT) | 4 | 25.5¢ | 41.8° | Fair |
| Delaware (DE) | 4.2 | 14.4¢ | 39.2° | Fair |
| Florida (FL) | 5.2 | 14.1¢ | 27.8° | Good |
| Georgia (GA) | 4.7 | 13.5¢ | 33.7° | Good |
| Hawaii (HI) | 5.5 | 43¢ | 21.3° | Excellent |
| Idaho (ID) | 4.8 | 10.9¢ | 43.6° | Good |
| Illinois (IL) | 4 | 15.2¢ | 39.8° | Fair |
| Indiana (IN) | 4 | 14.8¢ | 39.8° | Fair |
| Iowa (IA) | 4.2 | 14¢ | 41.6° | Fair |
| Kansas (KS) | 4.8 | 14.1¢ | 39° | Good |
| Kentucky (KY) | 4.2 | 12.1¢ | 38.2° | Fair |
| Louisiana (LA) | 4.8 | 12¢ | 30.5° | Good |
| Maine (ME) | 4 | 22¢ | 44.3° | Fair |
| Maryland (MD) | 4.3 | 15.8¢ | 39.3° | Fair |
| Massachusetts (MA) | 4 | 25.2¢ | 42.4° | Fair |
| Michigan (MI) | 3.8 | 18.3¢ | 42.7° | Fair |
| Minnesota (MN) | 4 | 14¢ | 44.9° | Fair |
| Mississippi (MS) | 4.6 | 12.8¢ | 32.3° | Good |
| Missouri (MO) | 4.4 | 12.9¢ | 38.6° | Fair |
| Montana (MT) | 4.5 | 12.2¢ | 46.6° | Good |
| Nebraska (NE) | 4.5 | 12¢ | 40.8° | Good |
| Nevada (NV) | 6.2 | 13¢ | 39.2° | Excellent |
| New Hampshire (NH) | 4 | 22.6¢ | 43.2° | Fair |
| New Jersey (NJ) | 4.2 | 17.2¢ | 40.2° | Fair |
| New Mexico (NM) | 6.2 | 14.5¢ | 35.7° | Excellent |
| New York (NY) | 3.8 | 20.4¢ | 42.7° | Fair |
| North Carolina (NC) | 4.5 | 12.8¢ | 35.8° | Good |
| North Dakota (ND) | 4.2 | 11.5¢ | 46.8° | Fair |
| Ohio (OH) | 3.8 | 14.2¢ | 39.9° | Fair |
| Oklahoma (OK) | 4.8 | 12¢ | 35.5° | Good |
| Oregon (OR) | 4 | 12.2¢ | 44.9° | Fair |
| Pennsylvania (PA) | 4 | 16.5¢ | 40.3° | Fair |
| Rhode Island (RI) | 4 | 24¢ | 41.8° | Fair |
| South Carolina (SC) | 4.6 | 13.6¢ | 34° | Good |
| South Dakota (SD) | 4.5 | 13¢ | 44.4° | Good |
| Tennessee (TN) | 4.4 | 12.5¢ | 36.2° | Fair |
| Texas (TX) | 5.2 | 13¢ | 30.3° | Good |
| Utah (UT) | 5.5 | 11.4¢ | 40.8° | Excellent |
| Vermont (VT) | 3.8 | 20¢ | 44.3° | Fair |
| Virginia (VA) | 4.3 | 13.4¢ | 37.5° | Fair |
| Washington (WA) | 3.8 | 10.5¢ | 47° | Fair |
| Washington DC (DC) | 4.3 | 14.5¢ | 38.9° | Fair |
| West Virginia (WV) | 4 | 12.8¢ | 38.3° | Fair |
| Wisconsin (WI) | 3.8 | 16¢ | 43.1° | Fair |
| Wyoming (WY) | 5 | 11.8¢ | 41.1° | Good |
About This Data
- Peak Sun Hours: Average hours per day of 1,000 W/m² solar irradiance. Actual varies by season and exact location.
- Electricity Rates: Average residential electricity rates from the EIA. Your rate may differ based on your utility company and plan.
- Latitude: Approximate latitude of the state capital, used for optimal tilt angle calculations.
- Solar Rating: Excellent (5.5+), Good (4.5-5.4), Fair (3.8-4.4), Low (<3.8) peak sun hours/day.