Solar in Merced, CA
With Merced Irrigation District's electricity at about 25.4¢ per kWh and 1,620 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Merced home today: about a 11.9-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 11.9 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $18,495after paying $10,700
- Sun
- 1,620kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 25.4¢41% above U.S. average
A typical Merced home, by the numbers
| Utility | Merced Irrigation District |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 597 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3 kW, about 7 panels, 4,859 kWh a year (68% of use) |
| Cost | $10,700 |
| First-year savings | $812 |
| Payback | 11.9 years |
| Exported power | Net billing (reduced export credit) (California rule) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 4.0% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Merced
- Owner-occupied homes
- 46%
- Single-family detached
- 66%
- Median home value
- $373k
- Median year built
- 1985
- Population
- 91,953
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 1,903
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 96%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 21,974 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Merced
Companies with the most installations in Merced's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Sunrun 708 installs
- Bright OPS 105 installs
- Empower Electric Solar 73 installs
- APG Solar 65 installs
- Bright Planet 59 installs
- Freedom Forever 58 installs
- Citadel Roofing And Solar 49 installs
- Solgen Electric 49 installs
- R T Maher Construction 47 installs
- Senga Energy 38 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Merced
Is solar worth it in Merced, CA?
For a typical home in Merced, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $10,700 after state incentives, saves about $812 in year one and pays back in about 11.9 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Merced?
About 1,620 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 2% less than the California average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Merced?
Most homes in Merced are served by Merced Irrigation District, at about 25.4¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by PG&E.
How much do solar panels cost in Merced?
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
- Atwater 10.2 yrs
- Turlock 13.3 yrs
- Los Banos 10.2 yrs
- Madera 10.2 yrs
- Ceres 10.9 yrs
- Modesto 10.9 yrs
- Riverbank 10.2 yrs
- Fresno 10.2 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.