AC replacement cost by state
The price of the equipment varies less by state than the payoff does. Replacing a 2000s-era 10 SEER unit with today's minimum-efficiency system saves about $306/yr in Florida but only $13/yr in Washington for the same 2,000 sq ft home.
What a new central AC costs installed
We don't have independent state-level installation price data, so we're not going to make it up. National guides put a standard-efficiency central AC replacement at $5,000–$8,300, mid-range two-stage systems at $8,300–$12,500, and variable-speed systems at $12,500–$14,000+. For a 2,000 sq ft home the range is about $7,000–$11,500, not counting ductwork. Labor in higher-cost metro areas and peak-summer installs push quotes higher.
Source: HomeGuide, “How much does AC replacement cost?” (2026). National ranges, not a quote. Get at least three local quotes for the same size and efficiency.
Federal minimum efficiency depends on where you live
Since January 1, 2023, new split-system central ACs under 45,000 Btu/h must meet 13.4 SEER2 in the North (29 of our 48 states) and 14.3 SEER2 in the Southeast (15) and Southwest (4: AZ, CA, NV, NM; the Southwest also has EER2 requirements). That sets the cheapest unit a contractor can legally install in your state, shown in the table below.
Source: U.S. DOE, Regional Standards Enforcement; DOE 2023 CAC standards FAQ (PDF).
Yearly cooling cost: old AC vs a new minimum-efficiency AC, by state
| State | DOE region (min SEER2) | Old 10 SEER | New, at minimum | Savings/yr | 15-yr value of 18 SEER2 over minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Southeast (14.3) | $537 | $357 | $180 | $1,100 |
| Arizona | Southwest (14.3) | $789 | $524 | $265 | $1,615 |
| Arkansas | Southeast (14.3) | $400 | $266 | $134 | $820 |
| California | Southwest (14.3) | $515 | $342 | $173 | $1,055 |
| Colorado | North (13.4) | $92 | $65 | $27 | $249 |
| Connecticut | North (13.4) | $283 | $201 | $82 | $769 |
| Delaware | Southeast (14.3) | $340 | $226 | $114 | $696 |
| Florida | Southeast (14.3) | $913 | $607 | $306 | $1,870 |
| Georgia | Southeast (14.3) | $443 | $294 | $149 | $907 |
| Idaho | North (13.4) | $106 | $75 | $31 | $287 |
| Illinois | North (13.4) | $285 | $202 | $83 | $774 |
| Indiana | North (13.4) | $259 | $184 | $75 | $704 |
| Iowa | North (13.4) | $192 | $136 | $56 | $521 |
| Kansas | North (13.4) | $370 | $262 | $108 | $1,005 |
| Kentucky | Southeast (14.3) | $292 | $194 | $98 | $598 |
| Louisiana | Southeast (14.3) | $600 | $399 | $201 | $1,229 |
| Maine | North (13.4) | $119 | $84 | $35 | $324 |
| Maryland | Southeast (14.3) | $405 | $269 | $136 | $829 |
| Massachusetts | North (13.4) | $259 | $184 | $75 | $704 |
| Michigan | North (13.4) | $208 | $147 | $61 | $565 |
| Minnesota | North (13.4) | $124 | $88 | $36 | $336 |
| Mississippi | Southeast (14.3) | $552 | $367 | $185 | $1,132 |
| Missouri | North (13.4) | $294 | $209 | $86 | $800 |
| Montana | North (13.4) | $46 | $32 | $13 | $125 |
| Nebraska | North (13.4) | $214 | $152 | $62 | $582 |
| Nevada | Southwest (14.3) | $489 | $325 | $164 | $1,001 |
| New Hampshire | North (13.4) | $134 | $95 | $39 | $363 |
| New Jersey | North (13.4) | $344 | $244 | $100 | $934 |
| New Mexico | Southwest (14.3) | $252 | $168 | $85 | $517 |
| New York | North (13.4) | $303 | $215 | $88 | $823 |
| North Carolina | Southeast (14.3) | $367 | $244 | $123 | $751 |
| North Dakota | North (13.4) | $92 | $65 | $27 | $249 |
| Ohio | North (13.4) | $247 | $175 | $72 | $671 |
| Oklahoma | Southeast (14.3) | $435 | $289 | $146 | $891 |
| Oregon | North (13.4) | $60 | $42 | $17 | $162 |
| Pennsylvania | North (13.4) | $248 | $176 | $72 | $673 |
| Rhode Island | North (13.4) | $274 | $194 | $80 | $745 |
| South Carolina | Southeast (14.3) | $517 | $343 | $174 | $1,059 |
| South Dakota | North (13.4) | $166 | $118 | $48 | $452 |
| Tennessee | Southeast (14.3) | $327 | $217 | $110 | $671 |
| Texas | Southeast (14.3) | $752 | $500 | $252 | $1,541 |
| Utah | North (13.4) | $118 | $84 | $34 | $321 |
| Vermont | North (13.4) | $89 | $63 | $26 | $242 |
| Virginia | Southeast (14.3) | $317 | $211 | $106 | $649 |
| Washington | North (13.4) | $44 | $31 | $13 | $119 |
| West Virginia | North (13.4) | $207 | $147 | $60 | $563 |
| Wisconsin | North (13.4) | $163 | $115 | $47 | $443 |
| Wyoming | North (13.4) | $65 | $46 | $19 | $176 |
2,000 sq ft, average insulation; EIA average residential price (July 2026 YTD); NOAA 1991–2020 cooling degree days. “15-yr value” is the undiscounted energy savings of an 18 SEER2 unit over the regional minimum across a 15-year life. If a high-efficiency unit costs more extra than that, it won't pay for itself on energy alone. Old 10 SEER ≈ 9.5 SEER2. Estimates; see methodology.
What the numbers say
- Biggest yearly savings from replacing an old unit: Florida ($306), Arizona ($265), Texas ($252), Louisiana ($201), Mississippi ($185).
- Smallest: Washington ($13), Montana ($13), Oregon ($17), Wyoming ($19), Vermont ($26). In these states, replace an AC because it's failing, not to save energy.
- Paying extra for 18 SEER2 is worth up to $1,870 over 15 years in Florida, but under $324 in the ten states with the least to gain.
For your own numbers, use the repair-or-replace calculator or your state page.