Solar panels in Cary, NC
Roofs in Cary get about 1,600 hours of usable sunlight a year — more than 58% 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 Cary → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.
What a typical Cary solar system costs
A 20-panel system (8 kW) is about right for an average Cary home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 10,880 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 4,352 | $6,384 | $574 | 11.1 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 6,528 | $9,576 | $862 | 11.1 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 8,704 | $12,768 | $1,149 | 11.1 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 10,880 | $15,960 | $1,428 | 11.2 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 14,144 | $20,748 | $1,536 | 13.5 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 Cary gets 1,600 sun hours
That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Cary — 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 Cary reaches about 1,721 hours, roughly 8% better than typical.
The numbers behind this page
| Typical usable sunlight | 1,600 hrs/yr |
|---|---|
| Unshaded roof | 1,721 hrs/yr |
| Electricity rate (North Carolina avg) | 13.2¢/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 | 35% |
| Paid for exported power | full retail (net metering) |
| Rooftops sampled here | 16 |
| Google imagery from | 2023 |
Nearby cities
See all of North Carolina → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.
Cary solar questions
How many solar panels do I need in Cary?
About 20 panels for an average home. Cary roofs get 1,600 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 544 kWh annually.
Is solar worth it in Cary?
At 13.2¢/kWh and 1,600 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 11.2 years and returns roughly $19,746 over 25 years. That is slower than the national average, so compare quotes carefully.
How much do solar panels cost in Cary?
A 8 kW system costs about $22,800 before incentives and $15,960 after the 30% federal tax credit. Prices vary by installer, roof complexity and equipment.
Worth reading before you buy
Estimates only, generated 2026-08-22 from Google Solar API rooftop samples and average North Carolina 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.