These 5 states are all in on solar in 2025

Last year, the U.S. hit a major milestone in domestic solar manufacturing and surpassed 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 in solar interest.

Massachusetts is leading all other states in the U.S. in the number of homeowners per capita requesting solar quotes in 2025, according to the latest EnergySage Marketplace data. So far this year, the New England state has outranked other top contenders like Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, and Washington D.C.

The most recent data accounts for all homes approved for quotes on the EnergySage Marketplace 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 incentives compared to the other East Coast states that topped the list. They also required a system size of 11 kW to offset their energy needs.

But the more you pay for electricity, the more you save. Electricity prices in Massachusetts are some of the highest in the country—so homeowners who go solar still have higher projected 25-year savings and lower payback periods than those in many other states.

Here's a closer look at what else is driving interest in solar in top states.

Top solar states based on EnergySage approved properties per capita in Q1 2025

Solar power in Massachusetts has been steadily increasing thanks to excellent state solar incentives, tax exemptions, and programs like the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) program driving interest. 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’s solar industry is also growing quickly 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 homeowners 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’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. 

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.

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 3 kW to 4 kW system.