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Solar panels in Beaumont, TX

Roofs in Beaumont get about 1,637 hours of usable sunlight a year — more than 68% 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.

1,637Sun hours / yr
20Panels typical
$15,960Cost after credit
9.7 yrPayback
Solar is reasonable in Beaumont, not spectacular. A 9.7-year payback still beats most savings accounts over the panel's 25-year life, but it is not the slam dunk you'll see advertised.

Check your specific roof in Beaumont → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.

What a typical Beaumont solar system costs

A 20-panel system (8 kW) is about right for an average Beaumont home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 11,132 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.

Estimated economics by system size in Beaumont, at 15.1¢/kWh after the 30% federal tax credit
SystemSizekWh/yr Net costSaves/yrPayback
8 panels3.2 kW 4,453$6,384 $672 9.5 yrs
12 panels4.8 kW 6,679$9,576 $1,009 9.5 yrs
16 panels6.4 kW 8,905$12,768 $1,345 9.5 yrs
20 panels8 kW 11,132$15,960 $1,643 9.7 yrs
26 panels10.4 kW 14,471$20,748 $1,769 11.7 yrs

How we worked this out for Beaumont

Every number on this page comes from these seven steps. Nothing is a national average — the sunlight figure is measured from Beaumont rooftops.

#StepResult
1What one panel makes here
400W ÷ 1000 × 1,637 sun hrs × 0.85 system losses
557 kWh/yr
2Panels needed to cover typical usage
10,800 kWh ÷ 557 kWh per panel
20 panels
3System size
20 panels × 400W
8.00 kW
4Annual production
8.00 kW × 1,637 hrs × 0.85
11,132 kWh/yr
5Installed cost
8,000 W × $2.85 per watt, then −30% federal credit
$15,960
6Annual saving
3,780 kWh used as generated × 15.1¢  +  7,352 kWh exported × 15.1¢
$1,643/yr
7Payback
$15,960 ÷ $1,643 per year
9.7 years

Step 6 matters more than it looks. Only 34% of what a system this size produces in Beaumont is used the moment it is generated; the other 7,352 kWh is exported and credited one-for-one under net metering. Because exports here are credited at or near retail, that split changes the payback very little — 9.5 years against the 9.7 we show. In places where exports pay a fraction of retail the same split moves payback by years, which is why we model it explicitly rather than assuming.

Assumptions: 400W panels, 15% system losses (inverter, wiring, heat, soiling), $2.85/W installed, 10,800 kWh typical annual household use, 15.1¢/kWh electricity. Change any of those and every figure above moves — which is exactly why a single national "solar costs X" number is misleading.

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 Beaumont gets 1,637 sun hours

That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Beaumont — 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 Beaumont reaches about 1,694 hours, roughly 3% better than typical.

The numbers behind this page

Typical usable sunlight1,637 hrs/yr
Unshaded roof1,694 hrs/yr
Electricity rate (Texas avg)15.1¢/kWh
Installed cost assumed$2.85/W
Panel size assumed400 W
Federal tax credit30%
Typical household usage10,800 kWh/yr
Power used as generated34%
Paid for exported powerfull retail (net metering)
Rooftops sampled here8
Google imagery from2023

When Beaumont actually produces

Annual totals hide the thing that catches people out: 32% of Beaumont's yearly sunlight arrives in May–July, and just 17% across November–January.

Estimated usable sun hours by month in Beaumont (latitude 30.1°)
MonthSun hrsShare of year
Jan 92
Feb 112
Mar 137
Apr 159
May 173
Jun 178
Jul 175
Aug 164
Sep 144
Oct 119
Nov 97
Dec 86

Output is unusually steady — only about 2.1× between Jun and Dec. Beaumont is close enough to the equator that seasonal variation is mild, which makes sizing a system considerably more predictable.

The annual total is measured from Google's rooftop imagery. Its split across months is calculated from solar geometry at Beaumont's latitude, not separately measured, so treat the monthly figures as the shape of a typical year rather than a forecast.

How Beaumont compares to the other 788 cities

MeasureBeaumont Rank of 788
Usable sunlight1,637 hrs256th
Sunlight lost to shade3%592nd most
Median roof size352 m²54th largest
Electricity rate15.1¢493rd highest
Payback9.7 yrs320th fastest
Grid carbon540 kg/MWh485th dirtiest

What actually stands out about Beaumont:

  • Plenty of roof to work with. Typical roofs here fit around 108 panels — roughly 5× what an average home needs. Roof size will not be what limits your system in Beaumont.
  • Large roofs. At a median of 352 m², Beaumont has the 54th-largest typical roof footprint we've measured.
  • Dimmer than the rest of Texas. Beaumont roofs get 7% less usable sunlight than the typical Texas city we've measured — statewide averages will overstate what you can expect here.

Cities with almost the same sunlight

These are the closest matches to Beaumont's 1,637 usable sun hours from other states and provinces. Same sunlight, different electricity prices — which is usually what decides whether solar is worth it.

CitySun hrs RatePayback
Fayetteville, AR 1,63612.4¢ 11.8 yrs
Redding, CA 1,63631.2¢ 9.7 yrs
Yakima, WA 1,64011.3¢ 13 yrs
Rock Hill, SC 1,63214.2¢ 10.3 yrs

Nearby cities

See all of Texas → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.

Beaumont solar questions

How many solar panels do I need in Beaumont?

About 20 panels for an average home using 10,800 kWh a year. Beaumont roofs get 1,637 usable sun hours, so each 400W panel produces roughly 557 kWh annually. A typical Beaumont roof fits about 108 panels, so roof space is unlikely to be your limit.

Is solar worth it in Beaumont?

At 15.1¢/kWh and 1,637 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 9.7 years and returns roughly $25,123 over a 25-year panel life. That is a solid return, and it improves further if electricity prices rise. Exported power earns full retail credit here.

How much do solar panels cost in Beaumont?

A 8 kW system costs about $22,800 before incentives and $15,960 after the 30% federal tax credit. That works out near $2.85 per watt installed. Roof pitch, shading, electrical panel upgrades and equipment choice move the price most, which is why quotes for the same house can differ by thousands.

Worth reading before you buy

Estimates only, generated 2026-08-22 from Google Solar API rooftop samples and average Texas 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.