Solar in Davenport, IA
With MidAmerican Energy's electricity at about 11.5¢ per kWh and 1,371 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Davenport home today: it does not pay back within 25 years.
- Payback, typical home
- NeverIowa: 22.7 yrs
- 25-year net
- −$2,111after paying $15,200
- Sun
- 1,371kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 11.5¢36% below U.S. average
A typical Davenport home, by the numbers
| Utility | MidAmerican Energy |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 828 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3.6 kW, about 8 panels, 4,935 kWh a year (50% of use) |
| Cost | $15,200 |
| First-year savings | $566 |
| Payback | never within 25 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (MidAmerican Energy) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 1.6% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Davenport
- Owner-occupied homes
- 63%
- Single-family detached
- 64%
- Median home value
- $166k
- Median year built
- 1967
- Population
- 100,913
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 72%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 26,635 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 Davenport
Public installation records for Iowa don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Iowa.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Davenport
Is solar worth it in Davenport, IA?
For a typical home in Davenport, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 3.6 kW system costs about $15,200 after state incentives, saves about $566 in year one and does not pay back within 25 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Davenport?
About 1,371 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 0% more than the Iowa average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Davenport?
Most homes in Davenport are served by MidAmerican Energy, at about 11.5¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Eastern Iowa Light & Power Cooperative, Alliant Energy (Interstate Power & Light).
How much do solar panels cost in Davenport?
A fair cash price is around $3.75 per watt before incentives, so about $15,200 for a 3.6 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Bettendorf no payback
- Iowa City no payback
- Marion 16 yrs
- Cedar Rapids 15.9 yrs
- Dubuque 16.1 yrs
- Ottumwa 15.8 yrs
- Waterloo no payback
- Cedar Falls no payback
- All of Iowa
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.