Solar panels in Daly City, CA
Roofs in Daly City get about 1,783 hours of usable sunlight a year — more than 78% 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 Daly City → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.
What a typical Daly City solar system costs
A 18-panel system (7.2 kW) is about right for an average Daly City home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 10,912 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 4,850 | $6,384 | $1,246 | 5.1 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 7,275 | $9,576 | $1,397 | 6.9 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 9,700 | $12,768 | $1,549 | 8.2 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 12,124 | $15,960 | $1,700 | 9.4 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 15,762 | $20,748 | $1,927 | 10.8 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 Daly City gets 1,783 sun hours
That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Daly City — 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 Daly City reaches about 1,906 hours, roughly 7% better than typical.
The numbers behind this page
| Typical usable sunlight | 1,783 hrs/yr |
|---|---|
| Unshaded roof | 1,906 hrs/yr |
| Electricity rate (California avg) | 31.2¢/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 | 20% of retail |
| Rooftops sampled here | 9 |
| Google imagery from | 2024 |
Nearby cities
See all of California → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.
Daly City solar questions
How many solar panels do I need in Daly City?
About 18 panels for an average home. Daly City roofs get 1,783 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 606 kWh annually.
Is solar worth it in Daly City?
At 31.2¢/kWh and 1,783 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 8.8 years and returns roughly $26,246 over 25 years. That is a solid return.
How much do solar panels cost in Daly City?
A 7.2 kW system costs about $20,520 before incentives and $14,364 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 California 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.