Solar Panel Cost & Payback in Arizona
Home solar in Arizona pays back in a median 15.9 years across the 72 places we cover, at an average electricity price of 15.4¢/kWh and about $3.10 per watt installed. Power sent back to the grid earns only about 5.5¢/kWh (Resource Comparison Proxy export rate), which lengthens payback. Douglas has the fastest payback (15.3 years).
Solar estimates for Arizona cities and towns
Sorted by fastest payback. Each figure is for a system sized to an average Arizona home (1,075 kWh/month).
| Place | kWh per kW | System | Cost | Payback | 25-yr savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas | 1,850 | 7.2 kW | $22,320 | 15.3 yrs | $18,044 |
| Sierra Vista Southeast | 1,829 | 7.2 kW | $22,320 | 15.5 yrs | $17,586 |
| Kingman | 1,819 | 7.2 kW | $22,320 | 15.5 yrs | $17,368 |
| Sierra Vista | 1,816 | 7.2 kW | $22,320 | 15.5 yrs | $17,302 |
| Safford | 1,810 | 7.2 kW | $22,320 | 15.6 yrs | $17,172 |
| Fortuna Foothills | 1,809 | 7.2 kW | $22,320 | 15.6 yrs | $17,150 |
| New Kingman-Butler | 1,809 | 7.2 kW | $22,320 | 15.6 yrs | $17,150 |
| Tucson Estates | 1,799 | 7.2 kW | $22,320 | 15.7 yrs | $16,932 |
| San Luis | 1,798 | 7.2 kW | $22,320 | 15.7 yrs | $16,910 |
| Chino Valley | 1,796 | 7.2 kW | $22,320 | 15.7 yrs | $16,866 |
| Somerton | 1,793 | 7.2 kW | $22,320 | 15.7 yrs | $16,801 |
| Nogales | 1,791 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.7 yrs | $17,688 |
| Drexel Heights | 1,787 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.8 yrs | $17,596 |
| Rio Rico | 1,787 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.8 yrs | $17,596 |
| Vail | 1,787 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.8 yrs | $17,596 |
| Sahuarita | 1,783 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.8 yrs | $17,504 |
| Peoria | 1,782 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.8 yrs | $17,481 |
| Coolidge | 1,781 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.8 yrs | $17,458 |
| Marana | 1,780 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.8 yrs | $17,435 |
| Apache Junction | 1,779 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.8 yrs | $17,412 |
| Tanque Verde | 1,779 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.8 yrs | $17,412 |
| Tucson | 1,778 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.8 yrs | $17,389 |
| New River | 1,778 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.8 yrs | $17,389 |
| Yuma | 1,775 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.9 yrs | $17,319 |
| Green Valley | 1,775 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.9 yrs | $17,319 |
| Saddlebrooke | 1,775 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.9 yrs | $17,319 |
| El Mirage | 1,773 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.9 yrs | $17,273 |
| Valencia West | 1,773 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.9 yrs | $17,273 |
| Flowing Wells | 1,772 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.9 yrs | $17,250 |
| Surprise | 1,770 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.9 yrs | $17,204 |
| Sun City West | 1,770 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.9 yrs | $17,204 |
| Arizona City | 1,769 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.9 yrs | $17,181 |
| Picture Rocks | 1,769 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.9 yrs | $17,181 |
| Sun City | 1,767 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.9 yrs | $17,135 |
| Casas Adobes | 1,765 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.9 yrs | $17,089 |
| Lake Havasu City | 1,765 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.9 yrs | $17,089 |
| Florence | 1,765 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.9 yrs | $17,089 |
| Gold Canyon | 1,765 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 15.9 yrs | $17,089 |
| Eloy | 1,763 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.0 yrs | $17,043 |
| San Tan Valley | 1,761 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.0 yrs | $16,997 |
| Sun Lakes | 1,761 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.0 yrs | $16,997 |
| Winslow | 1,761 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.0 yrs | $16,997 |
| Buckeye | 1,760 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.0 yrs | $16,974 |
| Prescott Valley | 1,759 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.0 yrs | $16,951 |
| Paradise Valley | 1,759 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.0 yrs | $16,951 |
| Queen Creek | 1,756 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.0 yrs | $16,882 |
| Phoenix | 1,755 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.0 yrs | $16,859 |
| Catalina Foothills | 1,755 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.0 yrs | $16,859 |
| Gold Camp | 1,755 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.0 yrs | $16,859 |
| Glendale | 1,754 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.0 yrs | $16,836 |
| Oro Valley | 1,754 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.0 yrs | $16,836 |
| Chandler | 1,753 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.0 yrs | $16,813 |
| Casa Grande | 1,752 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.0 yrs | $16,790 |
| Fountain Hills | 1,752 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.0 yrs | $16,790 |
| Bullhead City | 1,751 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.0 yrs | $16,767 |
| Gilbert | 1,750 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.1 yrs | $16,744 |
| Maricopa | 1,748 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.1 yrs | $16,698 |
| Tempe | 1,746 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.1 yrs | $16,652 |
| Show Low | 1,746 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.1 yrs | $16,652 |
| Scottsdale | 1,745 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.1 yrs | $16,629 |
| Mesa | 1,744 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.1 yrs | $16,605 |
| Avondale | 1,742 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.1 yrs | $16,559 |
| Goodyear | 1,742 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.1 yrs | $16,559 |
| Tempe Junction | 1,735 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.2 yrs | $16,398 |
| Prescott | 1,726 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.2 yrs | $16,191 |
| Cottonwood | 1,720 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.3 yrs | $16,053 |
| Verde Village | 1,720 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.3 yrs | $16,053 |
| Camp Verde | 1,699 | 7.6 kW | $23,560 | 16.5 yrs | $15,569 |
| Flagstaff | 1,688 | 8.0 kW | $24,800 | 16.6 yrs | $16,122 |
| Payson | 1,660 | 8.0 kW | $24,800 | 16.8 yrs | $15,443 |
| West Sedona | 1,644 | 8.0 kW | $24,800 | 16.9 yrs | $15,055 |
| Sedona | 1,632 | 8.0 kW | $24,800 | 17.0 yrs | $14,764 |