This state is leading solar panel installations in 2025

Solar installations broke records in the U.S. last year, with the country hitting a major milestone in domestic solar manufacturing and surpassing 50 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity. That's enough solar to supply power to almost 40 million homes. But as the U.S. continues to embrace solar expansion, a few states stand out for their growth when it comes to solar adoption.

Massachusetts is leading all other states in the U.S. for residential solar installations per capita in 2025, according to the latest EnergySage Marketplace data. So far this year, the New England state outranks Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, and Washington D.C for the top spot for solar installation approvals per person within each state.

The most recent data accounts for all EnergySage home solar installation approvals from January through March of this year. According to the average selected quote on EnergySage, during that time period Massachusetts residents typically paid a higher-than-average cost-per-watt before any tax incentives compared to the other East Coast states that topped the list, and require a larger‑capacity system size of 11kW to offset their energy needs.

But the more you pay for electricity, the more you save: Massachusetts homeowners also have higher projected 25-year savings and lower payback periods than the other states when they pay for their solar systems in cash.

Massachusetts

Solar power in Massachusetts has been steadily increasing thanks to excellent solar incentives, tax exemptions, and programs like the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) program offered by the state. Going solar in Massachusetts can be pricey, but incentives help reduce the upfront cost and can save you thousands on your solar project. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has an ambitious goal of hitting net-zero emissions by 2050, so it needs to continue expanding its solar capacity in order to achieve that clean energy milestone.

Connecticut 

Connecticut’s solar industry is also growing fast thanks to state-funded financing by the Connecticut Green Bank, including its Smart-E Loan program and the Connecticut Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program. Connecticut residents pay the lowest price per watt on this list, at just $2.66/W for a cash-purchased system.That’s before solar incentives, which will save the average Connecticut solar shopper $4,257 on their solar installation. 

Maine

Maine’s solar market has been expanding as Governor Janet Mills restored the state’s net-billing policy and signed several pro-solar energy bills in recent years. Although there aren’t any state-level tax incentives for Maine homeowners to take advantage of currently, there is a property tax exemption for people who go solar, and residents receive bill credits for their excess solar energy generation through net billing with Maine’s kWh credit program. 

Rhode Island

Don’t be deceived by its small size—Rhode Island is scaling up its solar power through both rooftop and megawatt-scale installations statewide. Through solar incentives like the Renewable Energy Fund (REF) solar grant program, new solar adopters can earn a per-watt grant through their installer, while feed-in-tariff programs like the Renewable Energy Growth (REG) Program compensate Rhode Island solar owners for their system’s generation for the first 15 to 20 years.

Washington D.C.

The District of Columbia is tapping into its solar potential as it aims to be powered by 100% clean energy by 2032. Residents of the nation’s capital have access to many solar incentives, including Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs), which provide one SREC per megawatt-hour your system produces, allowing homeowners to earn extra income by selling their SRECS to utilities. For qualifying low-income D.C. residents, the Solar Advantage Plus Program offers rebates of up to $10,000 to cover installation costs of a 3kW to 4kW system.