Typical home: Worth it

Solar in Culver City, CA

With LADWP's electricity at about 27.9¢ per kWh and 1,689 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Culver City home today: about a 7.5-year payback.

Payback, typical home
7.5 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
25-year net
$48,004after paying $12,380
Sun
1,689kWh per kW per year
Electricity
27.9¢55% above U.S. average

A typical Culver City home, by the numbers

UtilityLADWP
Electricity use469 kWh a month
Best-value system3.7 kW, about 9 panels, 6,250 kWh a year (111% of use)
Cost$12,380
First-year savings$1,552
Payback7.5 years
Exported powerFull retail net metering (LADWP)

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

Solar production per kW in Culver City

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

Show as a table
PeriodValue
Jan110
Feb111
Mar147
Apr157
May160
Jun163
Jul170
Aug169
Sep149
Oct136
Nov117
Dec102

Homes in Culver City

Owner-occupied homes
55%
Single-family detached
36%
Median home value
$1.1M
Median year built
1963
Population
39,931
Solar installs, last 3 years*
387
Roofs suitable for solar†
87%

Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 9,138 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 Culver City

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

  1. Sunrun 47 installs
  2. Tesla Energy 22 installs
  3. SunPower 20 installs
  4. SOLAR OPTIMUM DESIGN & ELECTRICAL 14 installs
  5. Freedom Forever 12 installs
  6. Xero Solar 11 installs
  7. Amerigreen Builders 10 installs
  8. Solar Tech Energy Systems 9 installs
  9. South West Builders 9 installs
  10. Ameco Solar 8 installs

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

Questions about solar in Culver City

Is solar worth it in Culver City, CA?

For a typical home in Culver City, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3.7 kW system costs about $12,380 after state incentives, saves about $1,552 in year one and pays back in about 7.5 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.

How much solar power does a system produce in Culver City?

About 1,689 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 2% more than the California average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.

Who is the electric utility in Culver City?

Most homes in Culver City are served by LADWP, at about 27.9¢ per kWh on average.

How much do solar panels cost in Culver City?

A fair cash price is around $2.90 per watt before incentives, so about $12,380 for a 3.7 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.