Solar panels in Everett, WA

Q: How many solar panels do I need in Everett?

About 28 panels for an average home. Everett roofs receive 1,139 usable sun hours per year.

Q: Is solar worth it in Everett?

At 11.3 cents per kWh and 1,139 sun hours, a typical system pays back in about 18.3 years.

Roofs in Everett get about 1,139 hours of usable sunlight a year — less than 100% 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.

1,139Sun hours / yr

28Panels typical

$22,344Cost after credit

18.3 yrPayback

Be careful in Everett. At a 18.3-year payback, solar here is a long-horizon decision, mostly because electricity is relatively cheap (11.3¢/kWh). It can still make sense if rates rise or you have local incentives — but check the numbers hard before signing.

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

What a typical Everett solar system costs

A 28-panel system (11.2 kW) is about right for an average Everett home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 10,843 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.

Estimated economics by system size in Everett, at 11.3¢/kWh after the 30% federal tax credit
System	Size	kWh/yr	Net cost	Saves/yr	Payback
8 panels	3.2 kW	3,098	$6,384	$350	18.2 yrs
12 panels	4.8 kW	4,647	$9,576	$525	18.2 yrs
16 panels	6.4 kW	6,196	$12,768	$700	18.2 yrs
20 panels	8 kW	7,745	$15,960	$875	18.2 yrs
26 panels	10.4 kW	10,069	$20,748	$1,138	18.2 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 Everett gets 1,139 sun hours

That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Everett — 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 Everett reaches about 1,289 hours, roughly 13% better than typical.

The numbers behind this page

Typical usable sunlight	1,139 hrs/yr
Unshaded roof	1,289 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	9
Google imagery from	2023

Nearby cities

Solar panels in BellevueWashington Solar panels in SeattleWashington Solar panels in RentonWashington Solar panels in KentWashington Solar panels in Federal WayWashington Solar panels in TacomaWashington

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

Everett solar questions

How many solar panels do I need in Everett?

About 28 panels for an average home. Everett roofs get 1,139 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 387 kWh annually.

Is solar worth it in Everett?

At 11.3¢/kWh and 1,139 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 18.3 years and returns roughly $8,197 over 25 years. That is slower than the national average, so compare quotes carefully.

How much do solar panels cost in Everett?

A 11.2 kW system costs about $31,920 before incentives and $22,344 after the 30% federal tax credit. Prices vary by installer, roof complexity and equipment.

Worth reading before you buy

What your utility pays for exportsChanges payback more than any equipment choice 12 questions to ask before signingIdentical systems vary 30–40% in price How long do panels last?Guide How long until it pays for itself?Guide

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.