Solar panels in Tacoma, WA
Roofs in Tacoma get about 1,184 hours of usable sunlight a year — less than 98% of the cities we've measured. Here's what that means in cost, savings and payback, using real rooftop data rather than a national average.
Check your specific roof in Tacoma → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.
What a typical Tacoma solar system costs
A 27-panel system (10.8 kW) is about right for an average Tacoma home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 10,869 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 3,220 | $6,384 | $364 | 17.5 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 4,831 | $9,576 | $546 | 17.5 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 6,441 | $12,768 | $728 | 17.5 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 8,051 | $15,960 | $910 | 17.5 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 10,467 | $20,748 | $1,183 | 17.5 yrs |
Notice that payback barely improves as systems get bigger, and eventually gets worse. That's because you can only save money on electricity you were going to buy anyway. Once a system covers your usage, extra panels mostly generate exports at a much lower rate.
Why Tacoma gets 1,184 sun hours
That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Tacoma — it already accounts for shading from trees, chimneys and neighbouring buildings, which is why it's lower than the raw "hours of daylight" figures you'll see elsewhere. An unusually open, unshaded roof in Tacoma reaches about 1,349 hours, roughly 14% better than typical.
The numbers behind this page
| Typical usable sunlight | 1,184 hrs/yr |
|---|---|
| Unshaded roof | 1,349 hrs/yr |
| Electricity rate (Washington avg) | 11.3¢/kWh |
| Installed cost assumed | $2.85/W |
| Panel size assumed | 400 W |
| Federal tax credit | 30% |
| Typical household usage | 10,800 kWh/yr |
| Power used as generated | 35% |
| Paid for exported power | full retail (net metering) |
| Rooftops sampled here | 15 |
| Google imagery from | 2024 |
Nearby cities
See all of Washington → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.
Tacoma solar questions
How many solar panels do I need in Tacoma?
About 27 panels for an average home. Tacoma roofs get 1,184 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 403 kWh annually.
Is solar worth it in Tacoma?
At 11.3¢/kWh and 1,184 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 17.6 years and returns roughly $9,013 over 25 years. That is slower than the national average, so compare quotes carefully.
How much do solar panels cost in Tacoma?
A 10.8 kW system costs about $30,780 before incentives and $21,546 after the 30% federal tax credit. Prices vary by installer, roof complexity and equipment.
Worth reading before you buy
Estimates only, generated 2026-08-22 from Google Solar API rooftop samples and average Washington electricity rates. Not a quote and not financial advice. Your roof, usage, utility plan and local incentives will change these numbers — get real quotes before buying.