Solar in Des Plaines, IL
With ComEd's electricity at about 19.3¢ per kWh and 1,336 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Des Plaines home today: about a 12.5-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 12.5 yrsIllinois: 13.5 yrs
- 25-year net
- $24,193after paying $16,500
- Sun
- 1,336kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 19.3¢7% above U.S. average
A typical Des Plaines home, by the numbers
| Utility | ComEd |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 622 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 5 kW, about 12 panels, 6,680 kWh a year (89% of use) |
| Cost | $18,000, or $16,500 after state incentives |
| First-year savings | $1,221 |
| Payback | 12.5 years |
| Exported power | 9¢/kWh (ComEd) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Des Plaines
- Owner-occupied homes
- 78%
- Single-family detached
- 59%
- Median home value
- $336k
- Median year built
- 1966
- Population
- 59,156
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 81%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 14,713 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 Des Plaines
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 Des Plaines
Is solar worth it in Des Plaines, IL?
For a typical home in Des Plaines, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 5 kW system costs about $16,500 after state incentives, saves about $1,221 in year one and pays back in about 12.5 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Des Plaines?
About 1,336 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 Illinois average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Des Plaines?
Most homes in Des Plaines are served by ComEd, at about 19.3¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Des Plaines?
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
- Mount Prospect 12.4 yrs
- Park Ridge 12.6 yrs
- Niles 12.6 yrs
- Elk Grove Village 12.3 yrs
- Glenview 12.7 yrs
- Arlington Heights 12.4 yrs
- Wheeling 12.6 yrs
- Northbrook 12.6 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.