Solar payback in Palmdale, CA

Electricity rates near Palmdale

We use Southern California Edison (SCE) as the likely utility for Palmdale. Check your bill to confirm yours. Other utilities in the state are listed for comparison.

How much sun Palmdale gets

Estimated output of 1 kW of rooftop solar, month by month, from NREL PVWatts weather data: about 1,709 kWh per year. Real output depends on your roof, shading and equipment.

Homes in Palmdale

Homes (housing units)

48,467

Lived in by their owner

66.2% of occupied homes

Detached single-family houses

78.5% of homes

Median year built

1989

Median value of owner-occupied homes

$471,000

Rooftop solar is usually the homeowner's decision, and it is simplest on a house with a roof of its own. In Palmdale, 66.2% of occupied homes are lived in by their owner and 78.5% of all homes are detached single-family houses. Condos, townhomes and apartments usually need approval from the building or association first.

Half of Palmdale's homes were built before 1989. 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 Palmdale city, read on 2026-11-02. See the Census table. Estimates have a margin of error.

Example payback in Palmdale

These use illustrative example bills, not averages for Palmdale. 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.