Typical home: Worth it

Solar in Alhambra, CA

With Southern California Edison (SCE)'s electricity at about 33.8¢ per kWh and 1,669 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Alhambra home today: about a 10.6-year payback.

Payback, typical home
10.6 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
25-year net
$22,773after paying $10,700
Sun
1,669kWh per kW per year
Electricity
33.8¢88% above U.S. average

A typical Alhambra home, by the numbers

UtilitySouthern California Edison (SCE)
Electricity use468 kWh a month
Best-value system3 kW, about 7 panels, 5,007 kWh a year (89% of use)
Cost$10,700
First-year savings$931
Payback10.6 years
Exported power4.6¢/kWh (Southern California Edison (SCE))

Cash purchase, no federal credit, 4.0% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.

Solar production per kW in Alhambra

kWh per kW each month, south-facing at 20° tilt. PVWatts v8 with local typical-year weather.

Show as a table
PeriodValue
Jan112
Feb111
Mar140
Apr150
May153
Jun155
Jul173
Aug174
Sep148
Oct136
Nov117
Dec101

Homes in Alhambra

Owner-occupied homes
41%
Single-family detached
41%
Median home value
$858k
Median year built
1960
Population
81,022
Solar installs, last 3 years*
530
Roofs suitable for solar†
79%

Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 16,318 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).

Older housing stock. Many homes here were built before 1975. Have the roof and electrical panel checked before signing; a roof or panel upgrade can add thousands. Roof first?

Installers working in Alhambra

Companies with the most installations in Alhambra's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.

  1. Sunrun 61 installs
  2. SunPower 38 installs
  3. Tesla Energy 33 installs
  4. SOLAR OPTIMUM DESIGN & ELECTRICAL 28 installs
  5. Freedom Forever 21 installs
  6. Sun Bees Groups INC DBA True Power Solar 21 installs
  7. Swss Electrical 16 installs
  8. South West Builders 14 installs
  9. Solarmax Renewable Energy Provider 12 installs
  10. H L V Electric 11 installs

Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.

Questions about solar in Alhambra

Is solar worth it in Alhambra, CA?

For a typical home in Alhambra, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $10,700 after state incentives, saves about $931 in year one and pays back in about 10.6 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.

How much solar power does a system produce in Alhambra?

About 1,669 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 1% more than the California average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.

Who is the electric utility in Alhambra?

Most homes in Alhambra are served by Southern California Edison (SCE), at about 33.8¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by LADWP.

How much do solar panels cost in Alhambra?

A fair cash price is around $2.90 per watt before incentives, so about $10,700 for a 3 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.

Nearby

Data: PVWatts (National Laboratory of the Rockies), EIA-861 2025 adjusted to 2026, U.S. Census ACS, LBNL Tracking the Sun, state policy research as of October 2026.