HVAC Replacement Cost Calculator
Homeowners who hired a professional to add or replace central air conditioning reported a median cost of $7,800 in 2026 prices; half of the jobs cost $4,500 to $11,400. The 517 homes that also had heating equipment replaced had a median cost of $14,600 for the two jobs combined.
United States · hired a pro
$7,800median cost
Half of these jobs cost between $4,500 and $11,400.
1,692 real jobs from 2021 to 2023, in 2026 prices.
Is your HVAC quote high or low?
| Cost of the job | Share of jobs |
|---|---|
| $2,500 or less | 11% |
| $4,000 or less | 23% |
| $5,000 or less | 28% |
| $6,000 or less | 38% |
| $7,500 or less | 48% |
| $10,000 or less | 68% |
| $12,000 or less | 78% |
| $20,000 or less | 94% |
| $25,000 or less | 96% |
The survey does not record the size of the equipment, its efficiency rating, the brand or whether the ducts were replaced, so a higher quote is not necessarily too high.
Central air replacement cost by home size
Size of the whole home, not of the job.
| Home size | Median | Middle half | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 750–999 sq ft | $6,800 | $3,400–$10,800 | 60 |
| 1,000–1,499 sq ft | $6,800 | $3,900–$10,200 | 315 |
| 1,500–1,999 sq ft | $7,700 | $4,500–$10,700 | 409 |
| 2,000–2,499 sq ft | $7,800 | $4,500–$10,700 | 353 |
| 2,500–2,999 sq ft | $10,100 | $5,700–$13,600 | 186 |
| 3,000–3,999 sq ft | $7,900 | $5,100–$14,100 | 196 |
| 4,000 sq ft or more | $9,000 | $4,500–$14,600 | 118 |
By home value
| Home value | Median | Middle half | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $200,000 | $5,700 | $3,400–$9,100 | 224 |
| $200,000–$349,999 | $6,800 | $4,000–$9,700 | 389 |
| $350,000–$599,999 | $7,900 | $5,100–$11,400 | 502 |
| $600,000 or more | $10,200 | $6,400–$15,700 | 482 |
Central air replacement cost by region and metro area
| Region and division | Median | Middle half | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast | $9,000 | $5,100–$13,600 | 204 |
| New EnglandConnecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont | $9,700 | $6,700–$20,400 | 59 |
| Middle AtlanticNew Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania | $7,900 | $4,800–$13,500 | 145 |
| Midwest | $5,700 | $4,000–$9,000 | 295 |
| East North CentralIllinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin | $5,700 | $4,500–$9,100 | 234 |
| West North CentralIowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota | $5,700 | $4,000–$9,000 | 61 |
| South | $7,700 | $4,500–$11,300 | 771 |
| South AtlanticDelaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia | $7,900 | $5,100–$10,700 | 420 |
| East South CentralAlabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee | $7,500 | $2,600–$10,200 | 53 |
| West South CentralArkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas | $7,100 | $4,100–$12,500 | 298 |
| West | $9,100 | $5,700–$13,600 | 422 |
| MountainArizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming | $7,900 | $4,500–$11,400 | 165 |
| PacificAlaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington | $10,300 | $6,500–$15,900 | 257 |
By metro area
| Metro area | Median | Middle half | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | $6,800 | $3,600–$10,300 | 67 |
| Boston | $11,400 | $7,100–$18,000 | 41 |
| Chicago | $5,700 | $4,500–$8,500 | 68 |
| Cincinnati | $6,400 | $4,500–$10,200 | 105 |
| Cleveland | $6,100 | $4,800–$9,000 | 67 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | $9,200 | $4,500–$13,600 | 103 |
| Denver | $8,300 | $4,500–$13,400 | 88 |
| Detroit | $5,100 | $3,300–$6,800 | 56 |
| Houston | $7,900 | $5,000–$12,500 | 91 |
| Los Angeles | $10,300 | $7,700–$15,400 | 34 |
| Miami | $6,400 | $3,900–$9,000 | 74 |
| Milwaukee | $5,100 | $3,900–$6,800 | 89 |
| New Orleans | $7,400 | $4,500–$12,800 | 83 |
| New York | $9,000 | $4,500–$12,800 | 47 |
| Philadelphia | $7,400 | $4,800–$12,800 | 64 |
| Phoenix | $9,100 | $6,000–$13,600 | 101 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino | $10,200 | $5,700–$15,700 | 81 |
| San Francisco-Oakland | $11,300 | $5,600–$16,700 | 35 |
| Seattle | $13,500 | $7,700–$19,300 | 48 |
| Washington, DC | $9,100 | $6,800–$13,500 | 94 |
Central air replacement cost by the home's heating system
| Main heating equipment | Median | Middle half | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forced-air furnace | $7,700 | $4,500–$11,300 | 1,325 |
| Steam or hot-water system (boiler) | $11,400 | $7,500–$19,300 | 64 |
| Electric heat pump | $7,900 | $5,500–$11,400 | 233 |
Fewer than 30 jobs, no figure: Built-in electric baseboard or coils (18).
Replacing the air conditioner and the heating together
517 homes had both replaced in the same two years; the first row is the two costs combined. Heating on its own: furnace replacement cost calculator.
| Work done in the two years | Median | Middle half | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central air and heating equipment, both | $14,600 | $10,100–$20,400 | 517 |
| Central air only (no heating job) | $6,800 | $3,900–$10,300 | 935 |
| Heating equipment only (no central air job) | $5,300 | $2,600–$8,600 | 649 |
Central air conditioner and heat pump cost by type of unit
What recent permits show: Seattle, Washington
Projects in one- and two-family homes, October 2024 to October 2026, by the equipment named on the permit. One city's records, not survey data: use them to compare types of units, not as a price for your area.
| Equipment named in the permit description | Median | Middle half | Projects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat pump (not described as ductless) | $9,000 | $6,000–$15,000 | 3,120 |
| Ductless mini-split heat pump | $9,000 | $4,800–$14,300 | 3,867 |
| 1 indoor unit | $7,000 | $5,000–$9,000 | 364 |
| 2 indoor units | $10,100 | $5,200–$14,000 | 383 |
| 3 indoor units | $13,100 | $7,500–$17,400 | 324 |
| 4 indoor units | $12,000 | $4,000–$18,400 | 318 |
| 5 or more indoor units | $13,000 | $3,000–$21,000 | 164 |
| Air conditioner (no heat pump or furnace named) | $9,000 | $6,500–$11,000 | 371 |
| Heat pump and furnace together | $14,000 | $9,500–$18,600 | 1,175 |
| Furnace and air conditioner together | $12,000 | $8,000–$16,800 | 237 |
About these records
Check against the survey: the 7,358 projects whose descriptions name a heat pump, a ductless system or an air conditioner but no furnace have a median stated cost of $9,000; homeowners in the Seattle metro area reported $11,100 for central air jobs (116 jobs, 2019, 2021 and 2023 surveys, 2026 prices).
The cost is the estimated project cost written on the permit, not adjusted for price changes and rounded the same way as the other costs on this page. A project is the set of permits at one address that state the same cost, because one job often has both a furnace permit and a refrigeration permit. Not included: 4,571 projects whose permits from the same day state different costs, 558 permits without a cost or an address, and 446 projects in newly built homes. The type of unit is identified from the permit description using fixed rules. A description that names two types may mean two new units or one unit replacing another. A project whose description names none of these types, or names a boiler, a fireplace or a water heater, is not in the table. Groups with fewer than 30 projects are not shown. Source: City of Seattle, "Trade Permits". The City of Seattle makes no claims as to the completeness, accuracy, timeliness or content of this data; it is used at one's own risk. The city has not reviewed or endorsed this site. More about these records
Federal estimates by type of unit
Estimates by the U.S. Energy Information Administration for one unit of the size shown, not costs that homeowners reported.
| Type of unit and assumed size | Typical unit | High-efficiency unit |
|---|---|---|
| Central air conditioner36,000 Btu per hour (3 tons) | $6,000–$6,100 | $6,800 |
| Air-source heat pump36,000 Btu per hour (3 tons) | $7,800 | $9,800 |
| Ductless mini-split heat pump12,000 Btu per hour (1 ton) | $2,300 | $2,300 |
| Ground-source heat pump36,000 Btu per hour (3 tons) | $16,900–$26,300 | $18,100–$27,400 |
Where the two differ: Central air conditioner: estimate $6,000–$6,100, Seattle projects $6,500–$11,000; Ductless mini-split heat pump: estimate $2,300, Seattle projects $4,800–$14,300. The estimate is for one unit; a permit covers a whole project.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, "Updated Buildings Sector Appliance and Equipment Costs and Efficiencies", Appendix A; 2022 dollars multiplied by 1.14 for 2026 prices. More about these estimates
How homeowners paid for central air jobs
| Paid mainly with | Share | Median | Middle half | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash from savings | 72% | $6,800 | $4,000–$10,300 | 1,198 |
| Cash-out refinance | 3% | $11,400 | $7,900–$15,700 | 39 |
| Home equity loan | 4% | $9,000 | $4,500–$12,500 | 57 |
| Insurance settlement | 2% | too few jobs | 25 | |
| Credit or store card | 8% | $7,900 | $5,100–$11,400 | 156 |
| Contractor financing | 6% | $10,100 | $6,400–$15,700 | 110 |
| Other | 5% | $9,100 | $5,100–$13,500 | 93 |
Central air replacement: hiring a pro or doing it yourself
88% hired a professional; 12% did most of the work themselves.
| Who did most of the work | Median | Middle half | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hired a professional | $7,800 | $4,500–$11,400 | 1,692 |
| Did most of the work themselves | $5,700 | $2,300–$9,600 | 202 |
A do-it-yourself cost leaves out the household's own time.
How often homeowners add or replace central air conditioning
7.8% of owner-occupied homes had this job done in the two years before the survey, by a professional or by the household.
| Year the home was built | Share of homes | Homes surveyed |
|---|---|---|
| Before 1940 | 5.2% | 2,839 |
| 1940 to 1959 | 6.1% | 3,854 |
| 1960 to 1979 | 7.8% | 6,448 |
| 1980 to 1989 | 9.0% | 3,691 |
| 1990 to 1999 | 10.7% | 3,718 |
| 2000 to 2009 | 11.1% | 4,106 |
| 2010 or later | 4.3% | 2,690 |
Central air replacement cost by year, as reported
| Year | Median | Middle half | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $6,100 | $4,000–$10,000 | 383 |
| 2022 | $6,600 | $3,700–$10,000 | 911 |
| 2023 | $7,000 | $4,000–$10,000 | 393 |
Not adjusted to 2026 prices; 2021 and 2023 are covered only in part. How the price adjustment works
What counts as a central air replacement in this data
Counted:
- Adding or replacing central air conditioning.
Not counted:
- Room air conditioners.
- Thermostats.
- Routine minor work such as painting or decorating.
The survey lists central air conditioning and built-in heating equipment as two jobs; this page covers the first.
Survey category: "Added or replaced central air conditioning". Costs the Census Bureau filled in (16% of the professional jobs) are left out.
Where these numbers come from
American Housing Survey 2023 (U.S. Census Bureau and HUD), in 2026 prices by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index for home improvements. Estimates by type of unit: U.S. Energy Information Administration. Permit records: City of Seattle. The calculations are our own; no agency has reviewed or endorsed them. Methodology · Data source