Solar in Caldwell, ID
With Idaho Power's electricity at about 12.6¢ per kWh and 1,438 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Caldwell home today: about a 18.3-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 18.3 yrsIdaho: 18.3 yrs
- 25-year net
- $3,616after paying $8,826
- Sun
- 1,438kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 12.6¢30% below U.S. average
A typical Caldwell home, by the numbers
| Utility | Idaho Power |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 899 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3.8 kW, about 9 panels, 5,466 kWh a year (51% of use) |
| Cost | $14,710, or $8,826 after state incentives |
| First-year savings | $540 |
| Payback | 18.3 years |
| Exported power | 4.5¢/kWh (Idaho Power) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 1.8% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Caldwell
- Owner-occupied homes
- 73%
- Single-family detached
- 79%
- Median home value
- $367k
- Median year built
- 2003
- Population
- 66,516
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 90%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 14,907 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Caldwell
Public installation records for Idaho don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Idaho.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Caldwell
Is solar worth it in Caldwell, ID?
For a typical home in Caldwell, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 3.8 kW system costs about $8,826 after state incentives, saves about $540 in year one and pays back in about 18.3 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Caldwell?
About 1,438 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 Idaho average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Caldwell?
Most homes in Caldwell are served by Idaho Power, at about 12.6¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Caldwell?
A fair cash price is around $3.45 per watt before incentives, so about $14,710 for a 3.8 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Nampa 18.1 yrs
- Eagle 18 yrs
- Meridian 17.6 yrs
- Kuna 17.6 yrs
- Boise City 17.9 yrs
- Twin Falls 17 yrs
- Lewiston 18 yrs
- Moscow 12.5 yrs
- All of Idaho
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.