Solar in Los Angeles, CA
With LADWP's electricity at about 27.9¢ per kWh and 1,679 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Los Angeles home today: about a 7.5-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 7.5 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $47,904after paying $12,380
- Sun
- 1,679kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 27.9¢55% above U.S. average
A typical Los Angeles home, by the numbers
| Utility | LADWP |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 469 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3.7 kW, about 9 panels, 6,213 kWh a year (110% of use) |
| Cost | $12,380 |
| First-year savings | $1,549 |
| Payback | 7.5 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (LADWP) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 4.0% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Los Angeles
- Owner-occupied homes
- 36%
- Single-family detached
- 36%
- Median home value
- $921k
- Median year built
- 1965
- Population
- 3,857,263
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 1,445
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 82%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 647,621 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 Los Angeles
Companies with the most installations in Los Angeles's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Sunrun 325 installs
- South West Builders 126 installs
- Freedom Forever 65 installs
- Lajoma Construction 58 installs
- Tesla Energy 49 installs
- Energy Service Partners INC DBA ESP Contracting 32 installs
- SunPower 32 installs
- Better Earth Electric 29 installs
- Bright OPS 29 installs
- Skyline Smart Energy 26 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Los Angeles
Is solar worth it in Los Angeles, CA?
For a typical home in Los Angeles, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3.7 kW system costs about $12,380 after state incentives, saves about $1,549 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 Los Angeles?
About 1,679 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 1% more than the California average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Los Angeles?
Most homes in Los Angeles are served by LADWP, at about 27.9¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Southern California Edison (SCE), City of Glendale, City of Burbank Water and Power.
How much do solar panels cost in Los Angeles?
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
- Culver City 7.5 yrs
- Beverly Hills 7.5 yrs
- Santa Monica 7.6 yrs
- West Hollywood 7.4 yrs
- Inglewood 10.6 yrs
- Hawthorne 10.6 yrs
- Westmont 10.5 yrs
- Manhattan Beach 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.