Solar in Pocatello, ID
With Idaho Power's electricity at about 12.6¢ per kWh and 1,472 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Pocatello home today: about a 17.7-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 17.7 yrsIdaho: 18.3 yrs
- 25-year net
- $4,033after paying $8,649
- Sun
- 1,472kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 12.6¢30% below U.S. average
A typical Pocatello home, by the numbers
| Utility | Idaho Power |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 899 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3.7 kW, about 9 panels, 5,447 kWh a year (50% of use) |
| Cost | $14,415, or $8,649 after state incentives |
| First-year savings | $544 |
| Payback | 17.7 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 Pocatello
- Owner-occupied homes
- 64%
- Single-family detached
- 63%
- Median home value
- $271k
- Median year built
- 1971
- Population
- 57,635
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 80%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 14,039 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 Pocatello
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 Pocatello
Is solar worth it in Pocatello, ID?
For a typical home in Pocatello, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 3.7 kW system costs about $8,649 after state incentives, saves about $544 in year one and pays back in about 17.7 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Pocatello?
About 1,472 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 3% more than the Idaho average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Pocatello?
Most homes in Pocatello are served by Idaho Power, at about 12.6¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Pocatello?
A fair cash price is around $3.45 per watt before incentives, so about $14,415 for a 3.7 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Idaho Falls 15.8 yrs
- Rexburg 16.1 yrs
- Twin Falls 17 yrs
- Boise City 17.9 yrs
- Kuna 17.6 yrs
- Meridian 17.6 yrs
- Eagle 18 yrs
- Nampa 18.1 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.