Our Solar Value Index is an indicator of the annual economic value of solar power. It's computed by multiplying the average utility rate in a state with the annual expected solar production from an average-sized (5 kW) residential solar photovoltaic system. The table below includes the top 100 biggest U.S. cities by population. Learn more.
Solar Value Index: U.S. Rankings for the Top 100 Biggest Cities
Latest Data: December 2017
Average utility rates in each state are published by the Energy Information Administration on a monthly basis. However, due to seasonal effects and other factors, month-to-month rates can change significantly. In order to account for this natural variation, we take a rolling-average of 12 months and use this figure as the average utility rate. The population data is provided by the United States Census Bureau (2014 figures).
Solar energy production is determined by many factors such as latitude, local climate and elevation. We provide the expected solar production values (in kWh) for an average-sized residential system with 5 kW installed capacity in the table below. These figures are based on the models and data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Learn more.
| City | Population | Solar Value Index | Utility rate (per kWh) | Solar production (per year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | $ 350399 | 2391 | 29.52 ¢ | 8100 kWh |
| San Diego, CA | $ 1381069 | 1483 | 18.1 ¢ | 8191 kWh |
| Chula Vista, CA | $ 260988 | 1483 | 18.1 ¢ | 8191 kWh |
| Bakersfield, CA | $ 368759 | 1461 | 18.1 ¢ | 8071 kWh |
| Los Angeles, CA | $ 3928864 | 1459 | 18.1 ¢ | 8060 kWh |
| Fresno, CA | $ 515986 | 1453 | 18.1 ¢ | 8028 kWh |
| Long Beach, CA | $ 473577 | 1438 | 18.1 ¢ | 7944 kWh |
| Anaheim, CA | $ 346997 | 1438 | 18.1 ¢ | 7944 kWh |
| Santa Ana, CA | $ 334909 | 1438 | 18.1 ¢ | 7944 kWh |
| Riverside, CA | $ 319504 | 1438 | 18.1 ¢ | 7944 kWh |
| Irvine, CA | $ 248531 | 1438 | 18.1 ¢ | 7944 kWh |
| San Bernardino, CA | $ 215213 | 1438 | 18.1 ¢ | 7944 kWh |
| San Jose, CA | $ 1015785 | 1435 | 18.1 ¢ | 7925 kWh |
| San Francisco, CA | $ 852469 | 1435 | 18.1 ¢ | 7925 kWh |
| Oakland, CA | $ 413775 | 1435 | 18.1 ¢ | 7925 kWh |
| Fremont, CA | $ 228758 | 1435 | 18.1 ¢ | 7925 kWh |
| Sacramento, CA | $ 485199 | 1402 | 18.1 ¢ | 7747 kWh |
| Stockton, CA | $ 302389 | 1402 | 18.1 ¢ | 7747 kWh |
| Boston, MA | $ 655884 | 1341 | 19.88 ¢ | 6746 kWh |
| New York, NY | $ 8491079 | 1172 | 18.02 ¢ | 6504 kWh |
| Albuquerque, NM | $ 557169 | 1165 | 12.87 ¢ | 9052 kWh |
| Tucson, AZ | $ 527972 | 1114 | 12.39 ¢ | 8989 kWh |
| Buffalo, NY | $ 258703 | 1099 | 18.02 ¢ | 6098 kWh |
| Phoenix, AZ | $ 1537058 | 1086 | 12.39 ¢ | 8766 kWh |
| Mesa, AZ | $ 464704 | 1086 | 12.39 ¢ | 8766 kWh |
| Chandler, AZ | $ 254276 | 1086 | 12.39 ¢ | 8766 kWh |
| Gilbert town, AZ | $ 239277 | 1086 | 12.39 ¢ | 8766 kWh |
| Glendale, AZ | $ 237517 | 1086 | 12.39 ¢ | 8766 kWh |
| Scottsdale, AZ | $ 230512 | 1086 | 12.39 ¢ | 8766 kWh |
| Las Vegas, NV | $ 613599 | 1081 | 12.1 ¢ | 8934 kWh |
| Henderson, NV | $ 277440 | 1081 | 12.1 ¢ | 8934 kWh |
| North Las Vegas, NV | $ 230788 | 1081 | 12.1 ¢ | 8934 kWh |
| Newark, NJ | $ 280579 | 1018 | 15.66 ¢ | 6504 kWh |
| Jersey City, NJ | $ 262146 | 1018 | 15.66 ¢ | 6504 kWh |
| Wichita, KS | $ 388413 | 1009 | 13.27 ¢ | 7604 kWh |
| El Paso, TX | $ 679036 | 1008 | 11.19 ¢ | 9006 kWh |
| Reno, NV | $ 236995 | 1000 | 12.1 ¢ | 8268 kWh |
| Detroit, MI | $ 680250 | 982 | 15.46 ¢ | 6349 kWh |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $ 445830 | 978 | 12.11 ¢ | 8079 kWh |
| Milwaukee, WI | $ 599642 | 972 | 14.44 ¢ | 6735 kWh |
| Madison, WI | $ 245691 | 969 | 14.44 ¢ | 6714 kWh |
| Anchorage, AK | $ 301010 | 955 | 21.64 ¢ | 4415 kWh |
| Philadelphia, PA | $ 1560297 | 954 | 14.36 ¢ | 6645 kWh |
| Baltimore, MD | $ 622793 | 946 | 14.03 ¢ | 6747 kWh |
| Denver, CO | $ 663862 | 941 | 12.11 ¢ | 7776 kWh |
| Aurora, CO | $ 353108 | 941 | 12.11 ¢ | 7776 kWh |
| Lubbock, TX | $ 243839 | 932 | 11.19 ¢ | 8324 kWh |
| Minneapolis, MN | $ 407207 | 910 | 13.23 ¢ | 6877 kWh |
| St. Paul, MN | $ 297640 | 910 | 13.23 ¢ | 6877 kWh |
| Tampa, FL | $ 358699 | 897 | 11.89 ¢ | 7543 kWh |
| Orlando, FL | $ 262372 | 897 | 11.89 ¢ | 7543 kWh |
| St. Petersburg, FL | $ 253693 | 897 | 11.89 ¢ | 7543 kWh |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $ 305412 | 891 | 14.36 ¢ | 6204 kWh |
| Miami, FL | $ 430332 | 887 | 11.89 ¢ | 7456 kWh |
| Hialeah, FL | $ 235563 | 887 | 11.89 ¢ | 7456 kWh |
| Washington, DC | $ 658893 | 882 | 13.01 ¢ | 6779 kWh |
| Atlanta, GA | $ 456002 | 870 | 11.73 ¢ | 7418 kWh |
| Dallas, TX | $ 1281047 | 865 | 11.19 ¢ | 7726 kWh |
| Fort Worth, TX | $ 812238 | 865 | 11.19 ¢ | 7726 kWh |
| Arlington, TX | $ 383204 | 865 | 11.19 ¢ | 7726 kWh |
| Plano, TX | $ 278480 | 865 | 11.19 ¢ | 7726 kWh |
| Garland, TX | $ 235501 | 865 | 11.19 ¢ | 7726 kWh |
| Irving, TX | $ 232406 | 865 | 11.19 ¢ | 7726 kWh |
| San Antonio, TX | $ 1436697 | 856 | 11.19 ¢ | 7651 kWh |
| Jacksonville, FL | $ 853382 | 848 | 11.89 ¢ | 7135 kWh |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $ 450980 | 847 | 12.13 ¢ | 6982 kWh |
| Norfolk, VA | $ 245428 | 847 | 12.13 ¢ | 6982 kWh |
| Chesapeake, VA | $ 233371 | 847 | 12.13 ¢ | 6982 kWh |
| Austin, TX | $ 912791 | 845 | 11.19 ¢ | 7545 kWh |
| Richmond, VA | $ 217853 | 841 | 12.13 ¢ | 6932 kWh |
| Chicago, IL | $ 2722389 | 834 | 12.77 ¢ | 6530 kWh |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $ 620602 | 820 | 10.56 ¢ | 7761 kWh |
| Cincinnati, OH | $ 298165 | 816 | 12.39 ¢ | 6584 kWh |
| Indianapolis, IN | $ 848788 | 816 | 12.01 ¢ | 6791 kWh |
| Toledo, OH | $ 281031 | 811 | 12.39 ¢ | 6543 kWh |
| Charlotte, NC | $ 809958 | 807 | 11.16 ¢ | 7228 kWh |
| Raleigh, NC | $ 439896 | 804 | 11.16 ¢ | 7209 kWh |
| Durham, NC | $ 251893 | 804 | 11.16 ¢ | 7209 kWh |
| Greensboro, NC | $ 282586 | 801 | 11.16 ¢ | 7182 kWh |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $ 239269 | 801 | 11.16 ¢ | 7182 kWh |
| Kansas City, MO | $ 470800 | 800 | 11.19 ¢ | 7146 kWh |
| Memphis, TN | $ 656861 | 787 | 10.65 ¢ | 7392 kWh |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $ 320434 | 785 | 11.19 ¢ | 7011 kWh |
| Laredo, TX | $ 252309 | 785 | 11.19 ¢ | 7011 kWh |
| Omaha, NE | $ 446599 | 781 | 11.01 ¢ | 7095 kWh |
| Lincoln, NE | $ 272996 | 781 | 11.01 ¢ | 7095 kWh |
| Columbus, OH | $ 835957 | 780 | 12.39 ¢ | 6297 kWh |
| Fort Wayne, IN | $ 258522 | 780 | 12.01 ¢ | 6492 kWh |
| St. Louis, MO | $ 317419 | 779 | 11.19 ¢ | 6962 kWh |
| Tulsa, OK | $ 399682 | 775 | 10.56 ¢ | 7333 kWh |
| Cleveland, OH | $ 389521 | 768 | 12.39 ¢ | 6197 kWh |
| Houston, TX | $ 2239558 | 764 | 11.19 ¢ | 6825 kWh |
| Nashville-Davidson, TN | $ 644014 | 754 | 10.65 ¢ | 7074 kWh |
| Boise City, ID | $ 216282 | 754 | 10.17 ¢ | 7412 kWh |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY | $ 612780 | 726 | 10.66 ¢ | 6805 kWh |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $ 310797 | 711 | 10.66 ¢ | 6672 kWh |
| New Orleans, LA | $ 384320 | 676 | 9.48 ¢ | 7125 kWh |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $ 228895 | 664 | 9.48 ¢ | 6999 kWh |
| Portland, OR | $ 619360 | 625 | 10.75 ¢ | 5808 kWh |
| Seattle, WA | $ 668342 | 549 | 9.87 ¢ | 5556 kWh |
