Solar in Downey, CA
With Southern California Edison (SCE)'s electricity at about 33.8¢ per kWh and 1,656 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Downey home today: about a 10.6-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 10.6 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $22,678after paying $10,700
- Sun
- 1,656kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 33.8¢88% above U.S. average
A typical Downey home, by the numbers
| Utility | Southern California Edison (SCE) |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 468 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3 kW, about 7 panels, 4,967 kWh a year (88% of use) |
| Cost | $10,700 |
| First-year savings | $928 |
| Payback | 10.6 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 Downey
- Owner-occupied homes
- 51%
- Single-family detached
- 56%
- Median home value
- $797k
- Median year built
- 1959
- Population
- 110,939
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 950
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 86%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 23,898 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 Downey
Companies with the most installations in Downey's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Sunrun 185 installs
- Freedom Forever 71 installs
- Skyline Smart Energy 52 installs
- Tesla Energy 50 installs
- South West Builders 32 installs
- Better Earth Electric 27 installs
- PGS Solar Electrical 24 installs
- Titanium Solar 23 installs
- Energy Service Partners INC DBA ESP Contracting 21 installs
- Bright OPS 20 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Downey
Is solar worth it in Downey, CA?
For a typical home in Downey, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $10,700 after state incentives, saves about $928 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 Downey?
About 1,656 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 0% less than the California average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Downey?
Most homes in Downey are served by Southern California Edison (SCE), at about 33.8¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Downey?
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
- Bell Gardens 10.6 yrs
- Paramount 10.6 yrs
- Norwalk 10.6 yrs
- Bellflower 10.6 yrs
- South Gate 10.6 yrs
- Bell 10.6 yrs
- Lynwood 10.6 yrs
- Pico Rivera 10.5 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.