Solar in Pasadena, CA
With City of Pasadena's electricity at about 26.4¢ per kWh and 1,650 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Pasadena home today: about a 13.2-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 13.2 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $14,711after paying $10,700
- Sun
- 1,650kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 26.4¢47% above U.S. average
A typical Pasadena home, by the numbers
| Utility | City of Pasadena |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 460 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3 kW, about 7 panels, 4,949 kWh a year (90% of use) |
| Cost | $10,700 |
| First-year savings | $727 |
| Payback | 13.2 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 Pasadena
- Owner-occupied homes
- 43%
- Single-family detached
- 43%
- Median home value
- $1.1M
- Median year built
- 1961
- Population
- 136,969
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 252
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 67%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 25,426 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 Pasadena
Companies with the most installations in Pasadena's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Sunrun 32 installs
- Tesla Energy 20 installs
- SunPower 17 installs
- ALTADENA ENERGY & SOLAR 14 installs
- SOLAR OPTIMUM DESIGN & ELECTRICAL 12 installs
- Axia Solar 8 installs
- Solarmax Renewable Energy Provider 7 installs
- AS Electric INC DBA Evolution Energy 5 installs
- Sun Bees Groups INC DBA True Power Solar 5 installs
- Freedom Forever 4 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Pasadena
Is solar worth it in Pasadena, CA?
For a typical home in Pasadena, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $10,700 after state incentives, saves about $727 in year one and pays back in about 13.2 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Pasadena?
About 1,650 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 Pasadena?
Most homes in Pasadena are served by City of Pasadena, at about 26.4¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Southern California Edison (SCE), City of Glendale, LADWP.
How much do solar panels cost in Pasadena?
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
- Altadena 10.5 yrs
- South Pasadena 10.6 yrs
- San Gabriel 10.5 yrs
- Alhambra 10.6 yrs
- Temple City 10.6 yrs
- Arcadia 10.7 yrs
- Glendale 10.9 yrs
- Rosemead 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.