Solar in Elk Grove, CA
With SMUD's electricity at about 19.9¢ per kWh and 1,601 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Elk Grove home today: about a 12.7-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 12.7 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $15,990after paying $11,180
- Sun
- 1,601kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 19.9¢11% above U.S. average
A typical Elk Grove home, by the numbers
| Utility | SMUD |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 663 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3.2 kW, about 7 panels, 5,122 kWh a year (64% of use) |
| Cost | $11,180 |
| First-year savings | $819 |
| 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 Elk Grove
- Owner-occupied homes
- 74%
- Single-family detached
- 86%
- Median home value
- $630k
- Median year built
- 2000
- Population
- 179,155
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 98%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 50,138 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Elk Grove
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 Elk Grove
Is solar worth it in Elk Grove, CA?
For a typical home in Elk Grove, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3.2 kW system costs about $11,180 after state incentives, saves about $819 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 Elk Grove?
About 1,601 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 3% less than the California average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Elk Grove?
Most homes in Elk Grove are served by SMUD, at about 19.9¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Elk Grove?
A fair cash price is around $2.90 per watt before incentives, so about $11,180 for a 3.2 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Florin 12.7 yrs
- Vineyard 12.7 yrs
- Galt 10.2 yrs
- Sacramento 12.7 yrs
- Arden-Arcade 12.7 yrs
- West Sacramento 10.2 yrs
- Rancho Cordova 12.7 yrs
- Carmichael 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.