Solar in Altadena, CA
With Southern California Edison (SCE)'s electricity at about 33.8¢ per kWh and 1,703 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Altadena home today: about a 10.5-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 10.5 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $22,999after paying $10,700
- Sun
- 1,703kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 33.8¢88% above U.S. average
A typical Altadena home, by the numbers
| Utility | Southern California Edison (SCE) |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 468 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3 kW, about 7 panels, 5,108 kWh a year (91% of use) |
| Cost | $10,700 |
| First-year savings | $938 |
| Payback | 10.5 years |
| Exported power | 4.6¢/kWh (Southern California Edison (SCE)) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 4.0% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Altadena
- Owner-occupied homes
- 77%
- Single-family detached
- 87%
- Median home value
- $1.1M
- Median year built
- 1946
- Population
- 41,705
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 662
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 68%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 11,038 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 Altadena
Companies with the most installations in Altadena's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Sunrun 92 installs
- ALTADENA ENERGY & SOLAR 65 installs
- SunPower 56 installs
- SOLAR OPTIMUM DESIGN & ELECTRICAL 29 installs
- Tesla Energy 29 installs
- Timeproofusa 16 installs
- Ameco Solar 15 installs
- South West Builders 15 installs
- Freedom Forever 13 installs
- Better Earth Electric 9 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Altadena
Is solar worth it in Altadena, CA?
For a typical home in Altadena, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $10,700 after state incentives, saves about $938 in year one and pays back in about 10.5 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Altadena?
About 1,703 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 3% more than the California average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Altadena?
Most homes in Altadena are served by Southern California Edison (SCE), at about 33.8¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by City of Pasadena.
How much do solar panels cost in Altadena?
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
- Pasadena 13.2 yrs
- South Pasadena 10.6 yrs
- Glendale 10.9 yrs
- Arcadia 10.7 yrs
- San Gabriel 10.5 yrs
- Alhambra 10.6 yrs
- Temple City 10.6 yrs
- Monrovia 10.6 yrs
- All of California
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.