Typical home: Close call

Solar in Madison Heights, MI

With DTE Electric's electricity at about 21.3¢ per kWh and 1,295 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical Madison Heights home today: about a 15.9-year payback.

Payback, typical home
15.9 yrsMichigan: 16 yrs
25-year net
$9,613after paying $11,900
Sun
1,295kWh per kW per year
Electricity
21.3¢18% above U.S. average

A typical Madison Heights home, by the numbers

UtilityDTE Electric
Electricity use623 kWh a month
Best-value system3 kW, about 7 panels, 3,886 kWh a year (52% of use)
Cost$11,900
First-year savings$690
Payback15.9 years
Exported power9¢/kWh (DTE Electric)

Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.3% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.

Solar production per kW in Madison Heights

kWh per kW each month, south-facing at 20° tilt. PVWatts v8 with local typical-year weather.

Show as a table
PeriodValue
Jan69
Feb85
Mar115
Apr128
May141
Jun146
Jul151
Aug136
Sep121
Oct90
Nov65
Dec50

Homes in Madison Heights

Owner-occupied homes
65%
Single-family detached
67%
Median home value
$199k
Median year built
1961
Population
28,419
Roofs suitable for solar†
81%

Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 9,667 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 Madison Heights

Public installation records for Michigan don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Michigan.

Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.

Questions about solar in Madison Heights

Is solar worth it in Madison Heights, MI?

For a typical home in Madison Heights, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $11,900 after state incentives, saves about $690 in year one and pays back in about 15.9 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.

How much solar power does a system produce in Madison Heights?

About 1,295 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 Michigan average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.

Who is the electric utility in Madison Heights?

Most homes in Madison Heights are served by DTE Electric, at about 21.3¢ per kWh on average.

How much do solar panels cost in Madison Heights?

A fair cash price is around $3.30 per watt before incentives, so about $11,900 for a 3 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.

Nearby

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.