Solar in Dubuque, IA
With Alliant Energy (Interstate Power & Light)'s electricity at about 18.4¢ per kWh and 1,345 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Dubuque home today: about a 16.1-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 16.1 yrsIowa: 22.7 yrs
- 25-year net
- $14,036after paying $22,675
- Sun
- 1,345kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 18.4¢3% above U.S. average
A typical Dubuque home, by the numbers
| Utility | Alliant Energy (Interstate Power & Light) |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 739 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 5.9 kW, about 14 panels, 7,935 kWh a year (89% of use) |
| Cost | $22,675 |
| First-year savings | $1,463 |
| Payback | 16.1 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (Alliant Energy (Interstate Power & Light)) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 1.6% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Dubuque
- Owner-occupied homes
- 66%
- Single-family detached
- 63%
- Median home value
- $205k
- Median year built
- 1963
- Population
- 59,174
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 75%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 12,635 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 Dubuque
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 Dubuque
Is solar worth it in Dubuque, IA?
For a typical home in Dubuque, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 5.9 kW system costs about $22,675 after state incentives, saves about $1,463 in year one and pays back in about 16.1 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Dubuque?
About 1,345 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 Iowa average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Dubuque?
Most homes in Dubuque are served by Alliant Energy (Interstate Power & Light), at about 18.4¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Maquoketa Valley Rrl Electric Cooperative.
How much do solar panels cost in Dubuque?
A fair cash price is around $3.75 per watt before incentives, so about $22,675 for a 5.9 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Marion 16 yrs
- Cedar Rapids 15.9 yrs
- Davenport no payback
- Bettendorf no payback
- Iowa City no payback
- Waterloo no payback
- Cedar Falls no payback
- Marshalltown 15.9 yrs
- 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.