HomeSolar by cityMississippi › Southaven

Solar panels in Southaven, MS

Roofs in Southaven get about 1,607 hours of usable sunlight a year — more than 59% 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.

1,607Sun hours / yr
20Panels typical
$15,960Cost after credit
11.1 yrPayback
Solar is reasonable in Southaven, not spectacular. A 11.1-year payback still beats most savings accounts over the panel's 25-year life, but it is not the slam dunk you'll see advertised.

Check your specific roof in Southaven → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.

What a typical Southaven solar system costs

A 20-panel system (8 kW) is about right for an average Southaven home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 10,928 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.

Estimated economics by system size in Southaven, at 13.3¢/kWh after the 30% federal tax credit
SystemSizekWh/yr Net costSaves/yrPayback
8 panels3.2 kW 4,371$6,384 $581 11 yrs
12 panels4.8 kW 6,557$9,576 $872 11 yrs
16 panels6.4 kW 8,742$12,768 $1,163 11 yrs
20 panels8 kW 10,928$15,960 $1,441 11.1 yrs
26 panels10.4 kW 14,206$20,748 $1,550 13.4 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 Southaven gets 1,607 sun hours

That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Southaven — 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 Southaven reaches about 1,686 hours, roughly 5% better than typical.

The numbers behind this page

Typical usable sunlight1,607 hrs/yr
Unshaded roof1,686 hrs/yr
Electricity rate (Mississippi avg)13.3¢/kWh
Installed cost assumed$2.85/W
Panel size assumed400 W
Federal tax credit30%
Typical household usage10,800 kWh/yr
Power used as generated35%
Paid for exported powerfull retail (net metering)
Rooftops sampled here15
Google imagery from2024

Nearby cities

See all of Mississippi → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.

Southaven solar questions

How many solar panels do I need in Southaven?

About 20 panels for an average home. Southaven roofs get 1,607 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 546 kWh annually.

Is solar worth it in Southaven?

At 13.3¢/kWh and 1,607 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 11.1 years and returns roughly $20,056 over 25 years. That is slower than the national average, so compare quotes carefully.

How much do solar panels cost in Southaven?

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 Mississippi 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.