Solar in El Monte, CA
With Southern California Edison (SCE)'s electricity at about 33.8¢ per kWh and 1,663 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical El Monte home today: about a 10.6-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 10.6 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $22,720after paying $10,700
- Sun
- 1,663kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 33.8¢88% above U.S. average
A typical El Monte home, by the numbers
| Utility | Southern California Edison (SCE) |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 468 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3 kW, about 7 panels, 4,989 kWh a year (89% of use) |
| Cost | $10,700 |
| First-year savings | $929 |
| 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 El Monte
- Owner-occupied homes
- 40%
- Single-family detached
- 54%
- Median home value
- $644k
- Median year built
- 1965
- Population
- 106,109
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 495
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 85%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 20,251 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 El Monte
Companies with the most installations in El Monte's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Sunrun 78 installs
- Complete Solar 44 installs
- SunPower 33 installs
- V3 Electric 32 installs
- Freedom Forever 30 installs
- South West Builders 24 installs
- Energy Service Partners INC DBA ESP Contracting 17 installs
- Swss Electrical 15 installs
- Tesla Energy 10 installs
- H L V Electric 10 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in El Monte
Is solar worth it in El Monte, CA?
For a typical home in El Monte, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $10,700 after state incentives, saves about $929 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 El Monte?
About 1,663 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 0% more than the California average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in El Monte?
Most homes in El Monte are served by Southern California Edison (SCE), at about 33.8¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in El Monte?
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
- Temple City 10.6 yrs
- Rosemead 10.6 yrs
- Baldwin Park 10.6 yrs
- Arcadia 10.7 yrs
- San Gabriel 10.5 yrs
- La Puente 10.6 yrs
- Alhambra 10.6 yrs
- Monterey Park 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.