Solar payback in El Cajon, CA

Electricity rates near El Cajon

We use San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) as the likely utility for El Cajon. Check your bill to confirm yours. Other utilities in the state are listed for comparison.

How much sun El Cajon gets

Estimated output of 1 kW of rooftop solar, month by month, from NREL PVWatts weather data: about 1,602 kWh per year. Real output depends on your roof, shading and equipment.

Homes in El Cajon

Homes (housing units)

35,185

Lived in by their owner

41.5% of occupied homes

Detached single-family houses

39.2% of homes

Median year built

1974

Median value of owner-occupied homes

$681,700

Rooftop solar is usually the homeowner's decision, and it is simplest on a house with a roof of its own. In El Cajon, 41.5% of occupied homes are lived in by their owner and 39.2% of all homes are detached single-family houses. Condos, townhomes and apartments usually need approval from the building or association first.

Half of El Cajon's homes were built before 1974. 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 El Cajon city, read on 2026-11-02. See the Census table. Estimates have a margin of error.

Example payback in El Cajon

These use illustrative example bills, not averages for El Cajon. 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.