Solar payback in Bakersfield, CA

Electricity rates near Bakersfield

We use Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) as the likely utility for Bakersfield. Check your bill to confirm yours. Other utilities in the state are listed for comparison.

How much sun Bakersfield gets

Estimated output of 1 kW of rooftop solar, month by month, from NREL PVWatts weather data: about 1,566 kWh per year. Real output depends on your roof, shading and equipment.

Homes in Bakersfield

Homes (housing units)

135,724

Lived in by their owner

60.6% of occupied homes

Detached single-family houses

71.8% of homes

Median year built

1990

Median value of owner-occupied homes

$371,700

Rooftop solar is usually the homeowner's decision, and it is simplest on a house with a roof of its own. In Bakersfield, 60.6% of occupied homes are lived in by their owner and 71.8% of all homes are detached single-family houses. Condos, townhomes and apartments usually need approval from the building or association first.

Half of Bakersfield's homes were built before 1990. Panels last decades, so if your roof is near the end of its life, ask installers whether to replace it before they install.

Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Bakersfield city, read on 2026-11-01. See the Census table. Estimates have a margin of error.

Example payback in Bakersfield

These use illustrative example bills, not averages for Bakersfield. They show a solar-only system (no battery, some shading) at the likely utility's rates, with no federal tax credit. Your own numbers will differ; use the calculator for yours.