Research
Findings computed across all 51 states from the same engine that powers every calculator on this site. Each figure below is regenerated at build time, so it always matches the individual state pages.
A home battery pays for itself in 0 of 51 states
Modelled on bill savings alone, no state recovers the cost of a 13.5 kWh home battery inside its 10-year warranty. The best case in the country is Hawaii at 10 yr 9 mo; the national median is 60+ yr.
| Best state | Hawaii — 10 yr 9 mo |
|---|---|
| National median payback | 60+ yr |
| States with no bill-saving mechanism at all | 5 |
| States paying back within warranty | 0 |
| # | State | Bill payback period |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | 10 yr 9 mo |
| 2 | California | 15 yr 7 mo |
| 3 | Connecticut | 17 yr 8 mo |
| 4 | Alaska | 20 yr 4 mo |
| 5 | Michigan | 29 yr |
Backup power during outages is real value but is insurance, not a return, and is excluded from these payback figures.
Method: battery methodology · Data: sources and vintage · all 51 states
Heat pumps cost more to run than gas in 34 of 51 states
Once seasonal efficiency is adjusted for local climate, a heat pump is cheaper to run than a modern gas furnace in only 17 states. The median state pays $294 a year more to heat with a heat pump. Alaska is the extreme case at $3,942 a year more.
| States where a heat pump is cheaper to run | 17 of 51 |
|---|---|
| Median annual difference | -$294 (negative favours gas) |
| Best state | Arkansas — saves $321/yr |
| Worst state | Alaska — costs $3,942/yr more |
| # | State | Annual running-cost saving |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arkansas | $321/yr |
| 2 | Georgia | $273/yr |
| 3 | Washington | $200/yr |
| 4 | Arizona | $155/yr |
| 5 | Texas | $155/yr |
Running cost only. Excludes the cooling benefit, rebates and install cost — all of which can change the purchase decision.
Full analysis: heat pump vs gas furnace economics by state — the switching condition, every assumption and limitation, and a downloadable dataset.
Method: heat-pump methodology · Data: sources and vintage · all 51 states
EVs are cheaper to fuel than gasoline in 51 of 51 states
On fuel cost alone the EV wins everywhere, but the size of the win varies by more than $1,553 a year between the best and worst states. Wyoming leads at $2,023 a year; District of Columbia is lowest at $470.
| States where an EV is cheaper to fuel | 51 of 51 |
|---|---|
| Median annual saving | $1,157 |
| Highest saving | Wyoming — $2,023/yr |
| Lowest saving | District of Columbia — $470/yr |
| # | State | Annual fuel saving |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | $2,023/yr |
| 2 | Montana | $1,561/yr |
| 3 | New Mexico | $1,551/yr |
| 4 | Missouri | $1,548/yr |
| 5 | North Dakota | $1,504/yr |
Assumes 80% home charging. Without home charging the gap narrows sharply and can reverse in expensive-electricity states.
Method: ev methodology · Data: sources and vintage · all 51 states
Solar pays back within a decade in 12 of 51 states
Median solar payback across the country is 13 yr 6 mo. The spread is wide: Maine recovers its cost in 7 yr 4 mo while Alaska takes 20 yr 11 mo — a gap driven far more by electricity price than by sunshine.
| States paying back within 10 years | 12 of 51 |
|---|---|
| National median payback | 13 yr 6 mo |
| Fastest | Maine — 7 yr 4 mo |
| Slowest | Alaska — 20 yr 11 mo |
| # | State | Payback period |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | 7 yr 4 mo |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 7 yr 8 mo |
| 3 | New York | 7 yr 9 mo |
| 4 | Rhode Island | 7 yr 9 mo |
| 5 | New Hampshire | 8 yr 3 mo |
The federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (IRC §25D) is not available for a system whose installation is completed after 31 December 2025.
Method: solar methodology · Data: sources and vintage · all 51 states
How to cite this analysis
These figures are free to reproduce with attribution. Please cite the model version and data vintage, since both change:
Payback Math (2026.08.6). "Research: payback findings across all 51 states."
Data updated August 2026. https://paybackmath.com/researchUnderlying measurements come from EIA, NOAA, AAA and PVGIS — please cite them as the source of the raw data; our contribution is the modelling. Full attribution details are on the data sources page.
Data updated · Calculation model 2026.08.6 · change history