Solar in Spokane, WA
With Avista's electricity at about 14.3¢ per kWh and 1,257 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical Spokane home today: about a 14.5-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 14.5 yrsWashington: 16.2 yrs
- 25-year net
- $21,602after paying $19,950
- Sun
- 1,257kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 14.3¢20% below U.S. average
A typical Spokane home, by the numbers
| Utility | Avista |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 916 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 7 kW, about 16 panels, 8,796 kWh a year (80% of use) |
| Cost | $19,950 |
| First-year savings | $1,260 |
| Payback | 14.5 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (Avista) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.8% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Spokane
- Owner-occupied homes
- 59%
- Single-family detached
- 64%
- Median home value
- $364k
- Median year built
- 1961
- Population
- 230,293
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 76%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 61,697 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 Spokane
Public installation records for Washington don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Washington.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Spokane
Is solar worth it in Spokane, WA?
For a typical home in Spokane, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 7 kW system costs about $19,950 after state incentives, saves about $1,260 in year one and pays back in about 14.5 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Spokane?
About 1,257 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 13% more than the Washington average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Spokane?
Most homes in Spokane are served by Avista, at about 14.3¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Modern Electric Water, Inland Power & Light, Vera Irrigation District #15.
How much do solar panels cost in Spokane?
A fair cash price is around $2.85 per watt before incentives, so about $19,950 for a 7 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Spokane Valley 14.7 yrs
- Pullman 14.4 yrs
- Moses Lake no payback
- Walla Walla 13.8 yrs
- Pasco 17.2 yrs
- Richland 20.1 yrs
- Kennewick 19.9 yrs
- Wenatchee no payback
- All of Washington
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.