Solar in Chico, CA
With PG&E's electricity at about 40.5¢ per kWh and 1,536 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Chico home today: about a 10.4-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 10.4 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $23,804after paying $10,700
- Sun
- 1,536kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 40.5¢125% above U.S. average
A typical Chico home, by the numbers
| Utility | PG&E |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 405 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3 kW, about 7 panels, 4,609 kWh a year (95% of use) |
| Cost | $10,700 |
| First-year savings | $946 |
| Payback | 10.4 years |
| Exported power | 3.9¢/kWh (PG&E) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 4.0% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Chico
- Owner-occupied homes
- 43%
- Single-family detached
- 50%
- Median home value
- $468k
- Median year built
- 1983
- Population
- 102,188
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 3,101
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 82%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 21,769 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Chico
Companies with the most installations in Chico's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Sunrun 454 installs
- OHM Solar Solutions 334 installs
- Alternative Energy Systems 317 installs
- Royal Aire 215 installs
- Feather River Aire And Solar 206 installs
- BLM Holdings 135 installs
- Urban Design 118 installs
- Premier Solar Energy 105 installs
- Webb Bill Construction 105 installs
- Bright OPS 82 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Chico
Is solar worth it in Chico, CA?
For a typical home in Chico, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $10,700 after state incentives, saves about $946 in year one and pays back in about 10.4 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Chico?
About 1,536 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 7% less than the California average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Chico?
Most homes in Chico are served by PG&E, at about 40.5¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Chico?
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
- Yuba City 10.3 yrs
- Redding 10.5 yrs
- Lincoln 10.4 yrs
- Rocklin 10.3 yrs
- Roseville 10.3 yrs
- Woodland 10.2 yrs
- Antelope 10.3 yrs
- Foothill Farms 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.