Solar panels in Olympia, WA
Roofs in Olympia get about 1,240 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 Olympia → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.
What a typical Olympia solar system costs
A 26-panel system (10.4 kW) is about right for an average Olympia home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 10,962 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 3,373 | $6,384 | $381 | 16.8 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 5,059 | $9,576 | $572 | 16.8 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 6,746 | $12,768 | $762 | 16.8 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 8,432 | $15,960 | $953 | 16.8 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 10,962 | $20,748 | $1,225 | 16.9 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 Olympia gets 1,240 sun hours
That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Olympia — 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 Olympia reaches about 1,319 hours, roughly 6% better than typical.
The numbers behind this page
| Typical usable sunlight | 1,240 hrs/yr |
|---|---|
| Unshaded roof | 1,319 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 | 34% |
| Paid for exported power | full retail (net metering) |
| Rooftops sampled here | 14 |
| Google imagery from | 2024 |
Nearby cities
See all of Washington → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.
Olympia solar questions
How many solar panels do I need in Olympia?
About 26 panels for an average home. Olympia roofs get 1,240 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 422 kWh annually.
Is solar worth it in Olympia?
At 11.3¢/kWh and 1,240 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 16.9 years and returns roughly $9,876 over 25 years. That is slower than the national average, so compare quotes carefully.
How much do solar panels cost in Olympia?
A 10.4 kW system costs about $29,640 before incentives and $20,748 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.