Solar in Arden-Arcade, CA
With SMUD's electricity at about 19.9¢ per kWh and 1,582 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Arden-Arcade home today: about a 12.7-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 12.7 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $15,376after paying $10,700
- Sun
- 1,582kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 19.9¢11% above U.S. average
A typical Arden-Arcade home, by the numbers
| Utility | SMUD |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 663 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3 kW, about 7 panels, 4,746 kWh a year (60% of use) |
| Cost | $10,700 |
| First-year savings | $776 |
| Payback | 12.7 years |
| Exported power | 9.6¢/kWh (SMUD) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 4.0% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Arden-Arcade
- Owner-occupied homes
- 46%
- Single-family detached
- 48%
- Median home value
- $560k
- Median year built
- 1966
- Population
- 94,994
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 92%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 22,327 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 Arden-Arcade
Public installation records for California don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in California.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Arden-Arcade
Is solar worth it in Arden-Arcade, CA?
For a typical home in Arden-Arcade, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $10,700 after state incentives, saves about $776 in year one and pays back in about 12.7 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Arden-Arcade?
About 1,582 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 5% less than the California average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Arden-Arcade?
Most homes in Arden-Arcade are served by SMUD, at about 19.9¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Arden-Arcade?
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
- Carmichael 12.7 yrs
- North Highlands 12.6 yrs
- Sacramento 12.7 yrs
- Foothill Farms 12.7 yrs
- Antelope 10.3 yrs
- Fair Oaks 12.8 yrs
- Rancho Cordova 12.7 yrs
- Florin 12.7 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.