How much do solar panels cost for a 1,500 sq ft house?
Solar panels for a 1,500 sq ft house usually cost about $14,600 to $32,800 before incentives in 2026, for a 6 to 10 kW system, depending on your climate. In a mid-range climate like Atlanta, that's roughly $18,100 to $25,300. Homeowners who buy in 2026 get no federal tax credit, so that's close to what you'd actually pay.
Size and cost by city
EIA survey data puts average electricity use for 1,500 to 1,999 sq ft homes at about 11,020 kWh a year. Here's the system that covers that much use, and what it costs at NLR's 2025 residential range of $2.32 to $3.25 per watt:
| City | kWh/kW/yr | Size | Installed cost (before incentives) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | 1,755 | 6.3 kW | $14,600 – $20,500 |
| Dallas, TX | 1,506 | 7.3 kW | $16,900 – $23,700 |
| Atlanta, GA | 1,420 | 7.8 kW | $18,100 – $25,300 |
| Columbus, OH | 1,296 | 8.5 kW | $19,700 – $27,600 |
| Seattle, WA | 1,088 | 10.1 kW | $23,400 – $32,800 |
Why 1,500 sq ft is a tricky size to estimate
A 1,500 sq ft house sits right on the line between two EIA size groups. Homes just under it (1,000 to 1,499 sq ft) average about 9,408 kWh a year. That's only about 1,600 kWh less, or roughly 1 kW of panels in most of the country. In practice, what's in the house matters more than its size:
- A heat pump or electric furnace can add more use than another 500 sq ft would.
- Central AC in the South drives summer bills, and that's when panels produce the most.
- An EV charged at home adds use that no square-footage estimate captures.
The fix is simple: add up the kWh on your last 12 bills and size to that. For how cost per watt varies by state and installer, see our guide to what solar costs in your state, or compare with a 2,000 sq ft house.
Facts verified
- Electricity use by home size: EIA, 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey, Table CE2.1 (37.6 million Btu per household for 1,500–1,999 sq ft and 32.1 for 1,000–1,499 sq ft, converted at 3,412 Btu/kWh).
- Output per kW: NLR PVWatts v8, run November 8, 2026. Assumes a south-facing fixed roof mount, 20° tilt and 14% losses.
- Installed cost: NLR Q1 2025 PV System Cost Benchmark, residential PV-only range of $2,319–$3,248 per kW (2024 dollars).
- No federal credit for purchases: IRS, Residential Clean Energy Credit ("not available for any property placed in service after December 31, 2025").
- Assumption: the system covers 100% of average use. The heat pump, AC and EV examples are general patterns, not measured figures.
More solar cost questions
- How much do solar panels cost for a 2,000 sq ft house?
- How much does solar cost for a 1,000 sq ft house?
- Is 10kW enough to run a house?
- What is the 33% rule in solar panels?
- Is it cheaper to buy your own solar panels?
- How much do solar panels cost without installation?
- How much do solar panels cost per month?