Furnace and AC Replacement Cost Calculator
Homeowners who hired a professional to install or replace central air conditioning and heating equipment in the same two years reported a median cost of $14,600 in 2026 prices; half of them paid $10,100 to $20,400.
$14,600typical cost
Typical range: $10,100 – $20,400
517 real projects from 2021 to 2023, in 2026 prices.
Is your furnace and AC quote high or low?
| Cost of the project | Share of projects |
|---|---|
| $6,000 or less | 7% |
| $10,000 or less | 25% |
| $12,000 or less | 38% |
| $15,000 or less | 52% |
| $20,000 or less | 73% |
| $25,000 or less | 82% |
| $40,000 or less | 92% |
| $50,000 or less | 95% |
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.
Furnace and AC replacement cost by home size
Size of the whole home, not of the job.
| Home size | Median | Middle half | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000–1,499 sq ft | $12,500 | $7,900–$18,000 | 94 |
| 1,500–1,999 sq ft | $15,200 | $10,200–$20,600 | 131 |
| 2,000–2,499 sq ft | $14,600 | $10,100–$19,300 | 107 |
| 2,500–2,999 sq ft | $18,200 | $11,400–$27,300 | 57 |
| 3,000–3,999 sq ft | $18,000 | $11,700–$27,300 | 60 |
| 4,000 sq ft or more | $18,000 | $11,400–$22,500 | 37 |
Fewer than 30 homes, no figure: 750–999 sq ft (17).
By home value
| Home value | Median | Middle half | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $200,000 | $7,900 | $5,100–$12,400 | 56 |
| $200,000–$349,999 | $12,800 | $9,100–$18,000 | 120 |
| $350,000–$599,999 | $15,300 | $10,500–$22,700 | 149 |
| $600,000 or more | $19,100 | $12,800–$28,600 | 167 |
Furnace and AC replacement cost by region and metro area
| Region and division | Median | Middle half | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast | $12,100 | $10,100–$18,200 | 66 |
| Middle AtlanticNew Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania | $11,400 | $10,100–$14,600 | 45 |
| Midwest | $11,700 | $9,100–$17,000 | 126 |
| East North CentralIllinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin | $11,400 | $9,100–$15,400 | 102 |
| South | $15,800 | $8,500–$20,600 | 185 |
| South AtlanticDelaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia | $15,900 | $11,300–$21,000 | 120 |
| West South CentralArkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas | $12,800 | $7,200–$20,800 | 58 |
| West | $19,100 | $12,500–$28,600 | 140 |
| MountainArizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming | $18,000 | $10,200–$28,600 | 48 |
| PacificAlaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington | $19,300 | $14,800–$29,000 | 92 |
Fewer than 30 homes, no figure: New England (21), West North Central (24), East South Central (7).
By metro area
| Metro area | Median | Middle half | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $10,200 | $8,500–$13,700 | 33 |
| Cincinnati | $10,900 | $9,000–$18,000 | 49 |
| Cleveland | $11,900 | $9,500–$14,400 | 32 |
| Denver | $16,800 | $10,100–$24,800 | 32 |
| Milwaukee | $11,400 | $8,500–$12,800 | 47 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino | $20,300 | $14,800–$27,000 | 32 |
| Washington, DC | $16,900 | $15,400–$26,300 | 43 |
Fewer than 30 homes, no figure: Atlanta (19), Boston (16), Dallas-Fort Worth (18), Detroit (25), Houston (20), Los Angeles (12), Miami (7), New Orleans (10), New York (13), Philadelphia (25), Phoenix (26), San Francisco-Oakland (15), Seattle (15).
Furnace and AC replacement cost by the home's heating
By the home's heating system
| Main heating equipment | Median | Middle half | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forced-air furnace | $14,100 | $10,100–$20,300 | 421 |
| Electric heat pump | $15,900 | $12,800–$22,100 | 63 |
Fewer than 30 homes, no figure: Steam or hot-water system (boiler) (11), Built-in electric baseboard or coils (8).
By heating fuel
| Main heating fuel | Median | Middle half | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | $14,600 | $7,900–$20,400 | 174 |
| Natural gas (piped) | $15,000 | $10,300–$20,400 | 310 |
Fewer than 30 homes, no figure: Propane (LP gas) (14), Fuel oil (6), Wood (4).
By type of home
| Type of home | Median | Middle half | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family detached house | $15,200 | $10,200–$20,600 | 435 |
| Single-family attached house (townhouse, rowhouse) | $11,600 | $7,900–$18,000 | 41 |
Fewer than 30 homes, no figure: Mobile or manufactured home (18), Unit in a building with 2 or more units (21).
How homeowners paid for furnace and AC replacements
| Paid mainly with | Share | Median | Middle half | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash from savings | 71% | $13,600 | $10,100–$19,300 | 342 |
| Cash-out refinance | 2% | too few homes | 10 | |
| Home equity loan | 5% | too few homes | 20 | |
| Insurance settlement | 2% | too few homes | 6 | |
| Credit or store card | 10% | $15,900 | $11,400–$22,700 | 56 |
| Contractor financing | 7% | $15,900 | $11,000–$28,400 | 37 |
| Other | 5% | too few homes | 24 |
Furnace and AC replacement: hiring a pro or doing it yourself
91% hired a professional; 9% did most of the work themselves. Central air conditioning: 91% by a professional. Heating equipment: 91% by a professional.
| Who did most of the work | Median | Middle half | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hired a professional | $14,600 | $10,100–$20,400 | 517 |
| Did most of the work themselves | $9,000 | $5,100–$15,400 | 32 |
A do-it-yourself cost leaves out the household's own time.
How often homeowners install or replace central air conditioning and heating equipment in the same two years
3.7% of owner-occupied homes had central air, heating equipment or both added or replaced 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 | 2.5% | 2,839 |
| 1940 to 1959 | 2.7% | 3,854 |
| 1960 to 1979 | 3.5% | 6,448 |
| 1980 to 1989 | 5.1% | 3,691 |
| 1990 to 1999 | 5.3% | 3,718 |
| 2000 to 2009 | 5.4% | 4,106 |
| 2010 or later | 1.0% | 2,690 |
What counts as a furnace and AC replacement in this data
Counted:
- Homes that had central air conditioning and built-in heating equipment (furnaces, heat pumps, boilers, ductwork and radiators) added or replaced in the same two years; the two costs are added together.
Not counted:
- Room air conditioners.
- Thermostats.
- Repairs and tune-ups that did not add or replace equipment.
Survey categories: "Added or replaced central air conditioning" and "Added or replaced built-in heating equipment". Costs the Census Bureau filled in (29% 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. The calculations are our own; no agency has reviewed or endorsed them. Methodology · Data source