Solar panels in Manchester, NH
Roofs in Manchester get about 1,331 hours of usable sunlight a year — less than 92% 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 Manchester → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.
What a typical Manchester solar system costs
A 24-panel system (9.6 kW) is about right for an average Manchester home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 10,861 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 3,620 | $6,384 | $916 | 7 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 5,430 | $9,576 | $1,374 | 7 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 7,241 | $12,768 | $1,832 | 7 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 9,051 | $15,960 | $2,290 | 7 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 11,766 | $20,748 | $2,794 | 7.4 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 Manchester gets 1,331 sun hours
That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Manchester — 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 Manchester reaches about 1,569 hours, roughly 18% better than typical.
The numbers behind this page
| Typical usable sunlight | 1,331 hrs/yr |
|---|---|
| Unshaded roof | 1,569 hrs/yr |
| Electricity rate (New Hampshire avg) | 25.3¢/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 | 11 |
| Google imagery from | 2022 |
Nearby cities
Manchester solar questions
How many solar panels do I need in Manchester?
About 24 panels for an average home. Manchester roofs get 1,331 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 453 kWh annually.
Is solar worth it in Manchester?
At 25.3¢/kWh and 1,331 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 7 years and returns roughly $49,254 over 25 years. That is a solid return.
How much do solar panels cost in Manchester?
A 9.6 kW system costs about $27,360 before incentives and $19,152 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 New Hampshire 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.