Solar panels in Dearborn, MI
Roofs in Dearborn get about 1,445 hours of usable sunlight a year — less than 71% 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 Dearborn → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.
What a typical Dearborn solar system costs
A 22-panel system (8.8 kW) is about right for an average Dearborn home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 10,809 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 3,930 | $6,384 | $751 | 8.5 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 5,896 | $9,576 | $1,126 | 8.5 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 7,861 | $12,768 | $1,501 | 8.5 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 9,826 | $15,960 | $1,877 | 8.5 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 12,774 | $20,748 | $2,157 | 9.6 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 Dearborn gets 1,445 sun hours
That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Dearborn — 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 Dearborn reaches about 1,545 hours, roughly 7% better than typical.
The numbers behind this page
| Typical usable sunlight | 1,445 hrs/yr |
|---|---|
| Unshaded roof | 1,545 hrs/yr |
| Electricity rate (Michigan avg) | 19.1¢/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 Michigan → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.
Dearborn solar questions
How many solar panels do I need in Dearborn?
About 22 panels for an average home. Dearborn roofs get 1,445 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 491 kWh annually.
Is solar worth it in Dearborn?
At 19.1¢/kWh and 1,445 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 8.5 years and returns roughly $34,024 over 25 years. That is a solid return.
How much do solar panels cost in Dearborn?
A 8.8 kW system costs about $25,080 before incentives and $17,556 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 Michigan 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.