Solar in DeKalb, IL
With ComEd's electricity at about 19.3¢ per kWh and 1,346 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical DeKalb home today: about a 12.4-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 12.4 yrsIllinois: 13.5 yrs
- 25-year net
- $24,869after paying $16,500
- Sun
- 1,346kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 19.3¢7% above U.S. average
A typical DeKalb home, by the numbers
| Utility | ComEd |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 622 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 5 kW, about 12 panels, 6,730 kWh a year (90% of use) |
| Cost | $18,000, or $16,500 after state incentives |
| First-year savings | $1,236 |
| Payback | 12.4 years |
| Exported power | 9¢/kWh (ComEd) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in DeKalb
- Owner-occupied homes
- 42%
- Single-family detached
- 41%
- Median home value
- $205k
- Median year built
- 1976
- Population
- 40,443
Census ACS 2020–2024.
Installers working in DeKalb
Public installation records for Illinois don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Illinois.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in DeKalb
Is solar worth it in DeKalb, IL?
For a typical home in DeKalb, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 5 kW system costs about $16,500 after state incentives, saves about $1,236 in year one and pays back in about 12.4 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in DeKalb?
About 1,346 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 Illinois average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in DeKalb?
Most homes in DeKalb are served by ComEd, at about 19.3¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in DeKalb?
A fair cash price is around $3.40 per watt before incentives, so about $18,000 for a 5 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- St. Charles 12.5 yrs
- Huntley 12.5 yrs
- Elgin 12.5 yrs
- Batavia 12.5 yrs
- Aurora 12.4 yrs
- Carpentersville 12.5 yrs
- Oswego 12.5 yrs
- Algonquin 12.4 yrs
- All of Illinois
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.