Solar panels in Cape Girardeau, MO
Roofs in Cape Girardeau get about 1,586 hours of usable sunlight a year — more than 56% of the cities we've measured. Here's what that means in cost, savings and payback, using real rooftop data rather than a national average.
Check your specific roof in Cape Girardeau → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.
What a typical Cape Girardeau solar system costs
A 21-panel system (8.4 kW) is about right for an average Cape Girardeau home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 11,324 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 4,314 | $6,384 | $526 | 12.1 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 6,471 | $9,576 | $789 | 12.1 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 8,628 | $12,768 | $1,053 | 12.1 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 10,785 | $15,960 | $1,316 | 12.1 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 14,020 | $20,748 | $1,416 | 14.7 yrs |
Notice that payback barely improves as systems get bigger, and eventually gets worse. That's because you can only save money on electricity you were going to buy anyway. Once a system covers your usage, extra panels mostly generate exports at a much lower rate.
Why Cape Girardeau gets 1,586 sun hours
That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Cape Girardeau — it already accounts for shading from trees, chimneys and neighbouring buildings, which is why it's lower than the raw "hours of daylight" figures you'll see elsewhere. An unusually open, unshaded roof in Cape Girardeau reaches about 1,616 hours, roughly 2% better than typical.
The numbers behind this page
| Typical usable sunlight | 1,586 hrs/yr |
|---|---|
| Unshaded roof | 1,616 hrs/yr |
| Electricity rate (Missouri avg) | 12.2¢/kWh |
| Installed cost assumed | $2.85/W |
| Panel size assumed | 400 W |
| Federal tax credit | 30% |
| Typical household usage | 10,800 kWh/yr |
| Power used as generated | 33% |
| Paid for exported power | full retail (net metering) |
| Rooftops sampled here | 6 |
| Google imagery from | 2012 |
When Cape Girardeau actually produces
Annual totals hide the thing that catches people out: 35% of Cape Girardeau's yearly sunlight arrives in May–July, and just 14% across November–January.
| Month | Sun hrs | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 76 | |
| Feb | 100 | |
| Mar | 130 | |
| Apr | 160 | |
| May | 180 | |
| Jun | 189 | |
| Jul | 184 | |
| Aug | 167 | |
| Sep | 140 | |
| Oct | 108 | |
| Nov | 82 | |
| Dec | 70 |
Cape Girardeau produces about 2.7× as much in Jun as in Dec — a normal mid-latitude swing. Expect real winter shortfall and summer surplus rather than steady year-round output.
The annual total is measured from Google's rooftop imagery. Its split across months is calculated from solar geometry at Cape Girardeau's latitude, not separately measured, so treat the monthly figures as the shape of a typical year rather than a forecast.
How Cape Girardeau compares to the other 673 cities
| Measure | Cape Girardeau | Rank of 673 |
|---|---|---|
| Usable sunlight | 1,586 hrs | 296th |
| Sunlight lost to shade | 2% | 623rd most |
| Median roof size | 208 m² | 332nd largest |
| Electricity rate | 12.2¢ | 570th highest |
| Payback | 12.6 yrs | 534th fastest |
| Grid carbon | 892 kg/MWh | 26th dirtiest |
What actually stands out about Cape Girardeau:
- Unusually open roofs. Only 2% of available sunlight is lost to obstruction in Cape Girardeau — better than all but 50 of the 673 cities measured. Most roofs here get close to their theoretical maximum.
- Every kWh counts more here. The grid serving Cape Girardeau emits 892 kg CO₂ per MWh, among the highest of the 673 cities measured — so the same panels displace more emissions than they would elsewhere.
- Older imagery. Google's aerial capture of Cape Girardeau dates from 2012. Tree growth and new construction since then are not reflected.
Cities with almost the same sunlight
These are the closest matches to Cape Girardeau's 1,586 usable sun hours from other states and provinces. Same sunlight, different electricity prices — which is usually what decides whether solar is worth it.
| City | Sun hrs | Rate | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Falls, MT | 1,585 | 12.1¢ | 12.7 yrs |
| Roswell, GA | 1,584 | 14.1¢ | 10.9 yrs |
| Portsmouth, VA | 1,584 | 14.2¢ | 10.8 yrs |
| Myrtle Beach, SC | 1,589 | 14.2¢ | 10.4 yrs |
Nearby cities
See all of Missouri → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.
Cape Girardeau solar questions
How many solar panels do I need in Cape Girardeau?
About 21 panels for an average home using 10,800 kWh a year. Cape Girardeau roofs get 1,586 usable sun hours, so each 400W panel produces roughly 539 kWh annually. A typical Cape Girardeau roof fits about 73 panels, so roof space is unlikely to be your limit.
Is solar worth it in Cape Girardeau?
At 12.2¢/kWh and 1,586 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 12.6 years and returns roughly $16,582 over a 25-year panel life. That is slower than average, so compare several quotes before committing. Exported power earns full retail credit here.
How much do solar panels cost in Cape Girardeau?
A 8.4 kW system costs about $23,940 before incentives and $16,758 after the 30% federal tax credit. That works out near $2.85 per watt installed. Roof pitch, shading, electrical panel upgrades and equipment choice move the price most, which is why quotes for the same house can differ by thousands.
Worth reading before you buy
Estimates only, generated 2026-08-22 from Google Solar API rooftop samples and average Missouri electricity rates. Not a quote and not financial advice. Your roof, usage, utility plan and local incentives will change these numbers — get real quotes before buying.