Solar in Lake Charles, LA
With Jefferson Davis Electric Cooperative's electricity at about 15.4¢ per kWh and 1,443 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical Lake Charles home today: about a 15.4-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 15.4 yrsLouisiana: 17.8 yrs
- 25-year net
- $12,338after paying $14,465
- Sun
- 1,443kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 15.4¢15% below U.S. average
A typical Lake Charles home, by the numbers
| Utility | Jefferson Davis Electric Cooperative |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 1,235 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 5.1 kW, about 12 panels, 7,361 kWh a year (50% of use) |
| Cost | $14,465 |
| First-year savings | $913 |
| Payback | 15.4 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 Lake Charles
- Owner-occupied homes
- 61%
- Single-family detached
- 68%
- Median home value
- $214k
- Median year built
- 1981
- Population
- 81,143
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 87%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 24,236 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Lake Charles
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 Lake Charles
Is solar worth it in Lake Charles, LA?
For a typical home in Lake Charles, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 5.1 kW system costs about $14,465 after state incentives, saves about $913 in year one and pays back in about 15.4 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Lake Charles?
About 1,443 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 Louisiana average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Lake Charles?
Most homes in Lake Charles are served by Jefferson Davis Electric Cooperative, at about 15.4¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Entergy Louisiana, Beauregard Electric Cooperative, Cleco Power.
How much do solar panels cost in Lake Charles?
A fair cash price is around $2.65 per watt before incentives, so about $14,465 for a 5.1 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Lafayette 19.1 yrs
- New Iberia 15.6 yrs
- Alexandria 16.4 yrs
- Baton Rouge 16.3 yrs
- Central 16.5 yrs
- Prairieville 16.4 yrs
- Houma 18.9 yrs
- Shreveport 17.6 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.