Solar in Las Cruces, NM
With El Paso Electric's electricity at about 13.5¢ per kWh and 1,818 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical Las Cruces home today: about a 14.1-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 14.1 yrsNew Mexico: 12.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $12,310after paying $13,820
- Sun
- 1,818kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 13.5¢25% below U.S. average
A typical Las Cruces home, by the numbers
| Utility | El Paso Electric |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 718 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 4.3 kW, about 10 panels, 7,815 kWh a year (91% of use) |
| Cost | $13,820 |
| First-year savings | $1,011 |
| Payback | 14.1 years |
| Exported power | Avoided-cost export credit (El Paso Electric) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 1.8% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Las Cruces
- Owner-occupied homes
- 56%
- Single-family detached
- 60%
- Median home value
- $232k
- Median year built
- 1991
- Population
- 114,197
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 857
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 96%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 34,248 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Las Cruces
Companies with the most installations in Las Cruces's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Nrg Renewables 222 installs
- Solar Works Energy 166 installs
- Our World Energy 100 installs
- Solar Smart Living 98 installs
- ADT Solar (SunPro) 36 installs
- Sunforce Solar 35 installs
- Sunfire Solar Systems 26 installs
- Mesilla Park Services Dba Yellow Bird Services 23 installs
- Freedom Forever 22 installs
- Sunwatt Energy 20 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Las Cruces
Is solar worth it in Las Cruces, NM?
For a typical home in Las Cruces, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 4.3 kW system costs about $13,820 after state incentives, saves about $1,011 in year one and pays back in about 14.1 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Las Cruces?
About 1,818 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 New Mexico average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Las Cruces?
Most homes in Las Cruces are served by El Paso Electric, at about 13.5¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Otero County Electric Cooperative.
How much do solar panels cost in Las Cruces?
A fair cash price is around $2.90 per watt before incentives, so about $13,820 for a 4.3 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Alamogordo 10.4 yrs
- Carlsbad 19.5 yrs
- Roswell 10.3 yrs
- South Valley 11.6 yrs
- Albuquerque 11.5 yrs
- Rio Rancho 11.4 yrs
- Hobbs 13 yrs
- Santa Fe 11.5 yrs
- All of New Mexico
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.