Solar in Lafayette, LA
With City of Lafayette's electricity at about 11.9¢ per kWh and 1,478 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Lafayette home today: about a 19.1-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 19.1 yrsLouisiana: 17.8 yrs
- 25-year net
- $5,767after paying $14,035
- Sun
- 1,478kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 11.9¢34% below U.S. average
A typical Lafayette home, by the numbers
| Utility | City of Lafayette |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 1,208 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 4.9 kW, about 11 panels, 7,241 kWh a year (50% of use) |
| Cost | $14,035 |
| First-year savings | $710 |
| Payback | 19.1 years |
| Exported power | Avoided-cost export credit (Louisiana rule) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.0% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Lafayette
- Owner-occupied homes
- 53%
- Single-family detached
- 63%
- Median home value
- $257k
- Median year built
- 1981
- Population
- 121,715
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 93%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 42,618 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Lafayette
Public installation records for Louisiana don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Louisiana.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Lafayette
Is solar worth it in Lafayette, LA?
For a typical home in Lafayette, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 4.9 kW system costs about $14,035 after state incentives, saves about $710 in year one and pays back in about 19.1 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Lafayette?
About 1,478 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 Louisiana average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Lafayette?
Most homes in Lafayette are served by City of Lafayette, at about 11.9¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Southwest Louisiana E M C, Cleco Power.
How much do solar panels cost in Lafayette?
A fair cash price is around $2.65 per watt before incentives, so about $14,035 for a 4.9 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- New Iberia 15.6 yrs
- Baton Rouge 16.3 yrs
- Central 16.5 yrs
- Prairieville 16.4 yrs
- Lake Charles 15.4 yrs
- Alexandria 16.4 yrs
- Houma 18.9 yrs
- Laplace 18.3 yrs
- All of Louisiana
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.