Best Solar Panel Angle by Zip Code

Use our solar panel angle by zip code calculator to find the best tilt angle (aka elevation angle) to mount your solar panels.

Solar Panel Angle by Zip Code Calculator

Tip: Also check out our solar panel azimuth direction calculator to find the best direction to face your solar panels.

Best Solar Panel Angle by Zip Code

Here is a table with the best solar panel angle for over 800 of the most populated zip codes in the US. You can sort it or search it to quickly find yours.

Note: All angles are from horizontal.

Don't see your zip code on this list? Use the solar panel angle by zip code calculator at the top of this page to calculate the best tilt angle for your location.

Best Solar Panel Azimuth Direction by Zip Code

In addition to knowing which angle to mount your panels at, you need to know which direction to face them. This direction is called the azimuth direction, or azimuth angle.

Here is a list of the best solar panel azimuth directions for 50 of the most populous zip codes in the US.

Full list: Best Solar Panel Azimuth Direction by Zip Code

How to Calculate Solar Panel Angle by Location

Here are 3 different ways to calculate the best angle for solar panels at your location:

1. Our Solar Panel Angle Calculator by Zip Code
2. Simple Rules of Thumb
3. Our Spreadsheet Calculator

Let's look at how to find your optimal solar panel angle using each method.

1. Our Solar Panel Angle Calculator by Zip Code

Scroll up to our solar angle calculator by zip code at the top of this page. (It's a copy of our solar panel tilt angle calculator.)

In the box, enter your zip code, city or address. For example, if you live in Los Angeles and your zip code is 90011, you'd simply type "90011" into the box.

Then select your location from the dropdown results. In this example, you'd select "90011, Los Angeles, CA, USA".

The calculator will use your zip code to calculate the best solar panel angle for your location.

Scroll down and you'll also find your best solar angles by season and by month.

Or, instead of entering your zip code, you can just click "Use Your Current Location".

Then click "Allow" when the site asks to know your location.

Once again, the calculator will then find your optimal tilt angle based on your location.

2. Simple Rules of Thumb

Here are two simple rules of thumb for finding your solar panel angle:

Rule of Thumb: Set your solar panel tilt angle equal to your latitude.

Seasonal Adjustments: Subtract 15° in the summer. Add 15° in the winter.

This method won't result in the optimal tilt angles, but it'll get you really close.

Example

To find your latitude, go to Google Maps. Click on the map at your location to drop a pin there. For this example, I just clicked on Central Park in New York City.

Once you do, your location's latitude and longitude coordinates appear at the bottom of the map. The first number is your latitude.

In this example, your latitude would be 40.8°.

So, using the rules of thumb:

Your best year-round solar panel angle: 40.8°

Your best solar panel angles by season:

• Spring: 40.8°
• Summer: 25.8°
• Fall: 40.8°
• Winter: 55.8°

Pretty simple!

For comparison, when I plug the zip code for Central Park, 10023, into our calculator at the top of this page, I get an optimal year-round tilt angle of 31.9°.

3. Our Spreadsheet Calculator

Here is a spreadsheet version of our solar panel tilt angle calculator:

How to Save Your Own Copy of the Spreadsheet

1. Click "Copy the Spreadsheet" above.

2. Click "Make a copy" on the next screen to save a copy of the spreadsheet to your Google Drive. (If you aren't logged in to Google, you will first be asked to log in.)

3. If you want to use the spreadsheet in Excel, you can then go to File > Download > Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) to download the spreadsheet as an Excel file. Then open it in Excel.

Now that you have your own copy, here's how to use it.

How to Use the Spreadsheet

1. Enter your latitude. In this example, I entered my latitude, 33.7°.

2. Find your optimal year-round tilt angle. The spreadsheet includes a formula, based on a Stanford research paper, that will automatically calculate your best solar tilt angle based on your latitude.

3. Scroll down to locate your optimal tilt angles by season and by month. These are seasonal and monthly adjustments based on the simple rules of thumb mentioned above.

Done!