Solar in Salem, OR
With Salem Electric's electricity at about 10.9¢ per kWh and 1,205 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Salem home today: about a 20.4-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 20.4 yrsOregon: 14.2 yrs
- 25-year net
- $4,532after paying $13,620
- Sun
- 1,205kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 10.9¢39% below U.S. average
A typical Salem home, by the numbers
| Utility | Salem Electric |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 874 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 4.4 kW, about 10 panels, 5,300 kWh a year (51% of use) |
| Cost | $13,620 |
| First-year savings | $580 |
| Payback | 20.4 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (Oregon rule) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.8% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Salem
- Owner-occupied homes
- 56%
- Single-family detached
- 58%
- Median home value
- $417k
- Median year built
- 1980
- Population
- 178,865
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 37
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 90%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 43,862 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Salem
Companies with the most installations in Salem's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Earthlight Technologies 6 installs
- Pure Energy Ca 4 installs
- Smart Energy USA 3 installs
- ION Solar 2 installs
- Blue Raven Solar 2 installs
- Green Store 2 installs
- Infinity Solar Systems 2 installs
- Purelight Power 2 installs
- Green Ridge Solar 2 installs
- Dpi Solar Dynamic Power Innovation 1 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Salem
Is solar worth it in Salem, OR?
For a typical home in Salem, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 4.4 kW system costs about $13,620 after state incentives, saves about $580 in year one and pays back in about 20.4 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Salem?
About 1,205 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 Oregon average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Salem?
Most homes in Salem are served by Salem Electric, at about 10.9¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Portland General Electric, PacifiCorp (Rocky Mountain Power / Pacific Power), Consumers Power.
How much do solar panels cost in Salem?
A fair cash price is around $2.80 per watt before incentives, so about $13,620 for a 4.4 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Keizer 10.3 yrs
- Woodburn 10.5 yrs
- Albany 14.5 yrs
- McMinnville 10.4 yrs
- Newberg 10.6 yrs
- Corvallis 14.4 yrs
- Wilsonville 10.8 yrs
- Tualatin 10.8 yrs
- All of Oregon
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.