Solar in Downers Grove, IL
With ComEd's electricity at about 19.3¢ per kWh and 1,317 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Downers Grove home today: about a 12.7-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 12.7 yrsIllinois: 13.5 yrs
- 25-year net
- $24,114after paying $16,760
- Sun
- 1,317kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 19.3¢7% above U.S. average
A typical Downers Grove home, by the numbers
| Utility | ComEd |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 622 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 5.1 kW, about 12 panels, 6,715 kWh a year (90% of use) |
| Cost | $18,290, or $16,760 after state incentives |
| First-year savings | $1,228 |
| Payback | 12.7 years |
| Exported power | 9¢/kWh (ComEd) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Downers Grove
- Owner-occupied homes
- 75%
- Single-family detached
- 62%
- Median home value
- $450k
- Median year built
- 1974
- Population
- 50,054
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 80%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 12,574 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 Downers Grove
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 Downers Grove
Is solar worth it in Downers Grove, IL?
For a typical home in Downers Grove, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 5.1 kW system costs about $16,760 after state incentives, saves about $1,228 in year one and pays back in about 12.7 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Downers Grove?
About 1,317 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 2% less than the Illinois average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Downers Grove?
Most homes in Downers Grove are served by ComEd, at about 19.3¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Downers Grove?
A fair cash price is around $3.40 per watt before incentives, so about $18,290 for a 5.1 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Woodridge 12.6 yrs
- Glen Ellyn 12.6 yrs
- Lombard 12.5 yrs
- Wheaton 12.5 yrs
- Naperville 12.5 yrs
- Elmhurst 12.5 yrs
- Bolingbrook 12.5 yrs
- Glendale Heights 12.5 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.