Solar in Tacoma, WA
With City of Tacoma's electricity at about 12.3¢ per kWh and 1,086 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Tacoma home today: about a 20-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 20 yrsWashington: 16.2 yrs
- 25-year net
- $5,819after paying $15,485
- Sun
- 1,086kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 12.3¢32% below U.S. average
A typical Tacoma home, by the numbers
| Utility | City of Tacoma |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 919 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 5.1 kW, about 12 panels, 5,537 kWh a year (50% of use) |
| Cost | $15,485 |
| First-year savings | $680 |
| Payback | 20.0 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (Washington rule) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.8% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Tacoma
- Owner-occupied homes
- 56%
- Single-family detached
- 61%
- Median home value
- $480k
- Median year built
- 1967
- Population
- 222,758
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 92%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 65,263 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 Tacoma
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 Tacoma
Is solar worth it in Tacoma, WA?
For a typical home in Tacoma, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 5.1 kW system costs about $15,485 after state incentives, saves about $680 in year one and pays back in about 20 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Tacoma?
About 1,086 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 2% less than the Washington average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Tacoma?
Most homes in Tacoma are served by City of Tacoma, at about 12.3¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Puget Sound Energy, Peninsula Light, PUD No 1 of Lewis County.
How much do solar panels cost in Tacoma?
A fair cash price is around $2.85 per watt before incentives, so about $15,485 for a 5.1 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- University Place 13.2 yrs
- Lakewood 13.4 yrs
- Federal Way 13.1 yrs
- Parkland 13.7 yrs
- Puyallup 13.5 yrs
- Spanaway 13.9 yrs
- Des Moines 12.9 yrs
- Frederickson 13.9 yrs
- 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.