Typical home: Close call

Solar in Muskegon, MI

With Consumers Energy's electricity at about 21.7¢ per kWh and 1,312 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical Muskegon home today: about a 15.5-year payback.

Payback, typical home
15.5 yrsMichigan: 16 yrs
25-year net
$10,327after paying $11,900
Sun
1,312kWh per kW per year
Electricity
21.7¢21% above U.S. average

A typical Muskegon home, by the numbers

UtilityConsumers Energy
Electricity use649 kWh a month
Best-value system3 kW, about 7 panels, 3,936 kWh a year (51% of use)
Cost$11,900
First-year savings$708
Payback15.5 years
Exported power8.5¢/kWh (Consumers Energy)

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

Solar production per kW in Muskegon

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

Show as a table
PeriodValue
Jan46
Feb74
Mar121
Apr134
May156
Jun151
Jul165
Aug150
Sep124
Oct83
Nov59
Dec50

Homes in Muskegon

Owner-occupied homes
53%
Single-family detached
67%
Median home value
$142k
Median year built
1951
Population
37,226
Roofs suitable for solar†
57%

Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 7,782 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 Muskegon

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 Muskegon

Is solar worth it in Muskegon, MI?

For a typical home in Muskegon, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $11,900 after state incentives, saves about $708 in year one and pays back in about 15.5 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.

How much solar power does a system produce in Muskegon?

About 1,312 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 2% more than the Michigan average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.

Who is the electric utility in Muskegon?

Most homes in Muskegon are served by Consumers Energy, at about 21.7¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Great Lakes Energy Cooperative.

How much do solar panels cost in Muskegon?

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.