HVAC / AC replacement Cost by City
100 metro areas, ranked. A typical project runs from $6,618 in the cheapest metro to $9,002 in the most expensive — a spread driven almost entirely by local labor rates.
What's priced: Full system replacement — condenser, air handler and coil — for a typical single-family home, installed on existing ductwork. National typical for comparison: $7,875.
| Metro | Typical | Range | vs. national |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $9,002 | $4,287–$13,718 | +14% |
| San Francisco, CA | $8,801 | $4,191–$13,411 | +12% |
| Seattle, WA | $8,754 | $4,169–$13,340 | +11% |
| Boston, MA | $8,517 | $4,056–$12,979 | +8% |
| New York, NY | $8,512 | $4,053–$12,970 | +8% |
| Chicago, IL | $8,495 | $4,045–$12,945 | +8% |
| Minneapolis, MN | $8,363 | $3,982–$12,743 | +6% |
| San Diego, CA | $8,352 | $3,977–$12,727 | +6% |
| Bridgeport, CT | $8,327 | $3,965–$12,689 | +6% |
| New Haven, CT | $8,324 | $3,964–$12,685 | +6% |
| Stockton, CA | $8,299 | $3,952–$12,647 | +5% |
| Los Angeles, CA | $8,294 | $3,950–$12,638 | +5% |
| Denver, CO | $8,280 | $3,943–$12,617 | +5% |
| Washington, DC | $8,255 | $3,931–$12,580 | +5% |
| Hartford, CT | $8,250 | $3,929–$12,571 | +5% |
| Worcester, MA | $8,244 | $3,926–$12,563 | +5% |
| Portland, OR | $8,211 | $3,910–$12,512 | +4% |
| Oxnard, CA | $8,181 | $3,896–$12,466 | +4% |
| Sacramento, CA | $8,170 | $3,890–$12,449 | +4% |
| Providence, RI | $8,134 | $3,873–$12,395 | +3% |
| Baltimore, MD | $8,118 | $3,866–$12,370 | +3% |
| Bakersfield, CA | $8,107 | $3,860–$12,353 | +3% |
| Milwaukee, WI | $8,107 | $3,860–$12,353 | +3% |
| Albany, NY | $8,082 | $3,848–$12,315 | +3% |
| Philadelphia, PA | $8,073 | $3,845–$12,302 | +3% |
| Fresno, CA | $8,065 | $3,841–$12,290 | +2% |
| Madison, WI | $8,065 | $3,841–$12,290 | +2% |
| Syracuse, NY | $8,054 | $3,835–$12,273 | +2% |
| Columbus, OH | $8,043 | $3,830–$12,256 | +2% |
| Indianapolis, IN | $8,043 | $3,830–$12,256 | +2% |
| Riverside, CA | $8,040 | $3,829–$12,252 | +2% |
| Kiryas Joel, NY | $8,021 | $3,820–$12,223 | +2% |
| St. Louis, MO | $8,013 | $3,816–$12,210 | +2% |
| Portland, ME | $8,007 | $3,813–$12,202 | +2% |
| Toledo, OH | $7,994 | $3,806–$12,181 | +2% |
| Allentown, PA | $7,985 | $3,803–$12,168 | +1% |
| Cleveland, OH | $7,966 | $3,793–$12,139 | +1% |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $7,966 | $3,793–$12,139 | +1% |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $7,960 | $3,791–$12,130 | +1% |
| Rochester, NY | $7,958 | $3,789–$12,126 | +1% |
| Detroit, MI | $7,955 | $3,788–$12,122 | +1% |
| Des Moines, IA | $7,952 | $3,787–$12,118 | +1% |
| Harrisburg, PA | $7,933 | $3,778–$12,088 | +1% |
| Dayton, OH | $7,922 | $3,772–$12,071 | +1% |
| Reno, NV | $7,900 | $3,762–$12,038 | 0% |
| Buffalo, NY | $7,897 | $3,761–$12,034 | 0% |
| Cincinnati, OH | $7,897 | $3,761–$12,034 | 0% |
| Kansas City, MO | $7,878 | $3,751–$12,004 | 0% |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $7,869 | $3,747–$11,992 | 0% |
| Grand Rapids, MI | $7,850 | $3,738–$11,962 | 0% |
| Akron, OH | $7,842 | $3,734–$11,950 | 0% |
| Austin, TX | $7,839 | $3,733–$11,945 | 0% |
| Omaha, NE | $7,814 | $3,721–$11,908 | -1% |
| Ogden, UT | $7,798 | $3,713–$11,882 | -1% |
| Wichita, KS | $7,787 | $3,708–$11,866 | -1% |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $7,784 | $3,707–$11,861 | -1% |
| Las Vegas, NV | $7,776 | $3,703–$11,849 | -1% |
| Phoenix, AZ | $7,765 | $3,698–$11,832 | -1% |
| Dallas, TX | $7,745 | $3,688–$11,803 | -2% |
| Lexington, KY | $7,732 | $3,682–$11,782 | -2% |
| Nashville, TN | $7,721 | $3,677–$11,765 | -2% |
| Boise City, ID | $7,715 | $3,674–$11,756 | -2% |
| New Orleans, LA | $7,712 | $3,673–$11,752 | -2% |
| Atlanta, GA | $7,690 | $3,662–$11,719 | -2% |
| Houston, TX | $7,688 | $3,661–$11,714 | -2% |
| Memphis, TN | $7,685 | $3,659–$11,710 | -2% |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY | $7,674 | $3,654–$11,693 | -3% |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $7,674 | $3,654–$11,693 | -3% |
| Miami, FL | $7,671 | $3,653–$11,689 | -3% |
| Charlotte, NC | $7,668 | $3,652–$11,685 | -3% |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $7,663 | $3,649–$11,677 | -3% |
| San Antonio, TX | $7,635 | $3,636–$11,635 | -3% |
| Jacksonville, FL | $7,621 | $3,629–$11,614 | -3% |
| Charleston, SC | $7,608 | $3,623–$11,593 | -3% |
| Durham, NC | $7,608 | $3,623–$11,593 | -3% |
| Raleigh, NC | $7,608 | $3,623–$11,593 | -3% |
| Richmond, VA | $7,608 | $3,623–$11,593 | -3% |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $7,602 | $3,620–$11,584 | -3% |
| Tulsa, OK | $7,597 | $3,617–$11,576 | -4% |
| Greensboro, NC | $7,594 | $3,616–$11,572 | -4% |
| North Port, FL | $7,588 | $3,614–$11,563 | -4% |
| Knoxville, TN | $7,583 | $3,611–$11,555 | -4% |
| Cape Coral, FL | $7,566 | $3,603–$11,530 | -4% |
| Greenville, SC | $7,564 | $3,602–$11,525 | -4% |
| Albuquerque, NM | $7,536 | $3,589–$11,483 | -4% |
| Columbia, SC | $7,519 | $3,581–$11,458 | -5% |
| Chattanooga, TN | $7,503 | $3,573–$11,433 | -5% |
| Orlando, FL | $7,503 | $3,573–$11,433 | -5% |
| Tampa, FL | $7,500 | $3,572–$11,429 | -5% |
| Provo, UT | $7,497 | $3,570–$11,425 | -5% |
| Tucson, AZ | $7,495 | $3,569–$11,420 | -5% |
| Winston, NC | $7,486 | $3,565–$11,408 | -5% |
| Fayetteville, AR | $7,451 | $3,548–$11,353 | -5% |
| Jackson, MS | $7,434 | $3,540–$11,328 | -6% |
| Huntsville, AL | $7,409 | $3,528–$11,290 | -6% |
| Birmingham, AL | $7,360 | $3,505–$11,215 | -7% |
| McAllen, TX | $7,263 | $3,459–$11,068 | -8% |
| Little Rock, AR | $7,258 | $3,456–$11,059 | -8% |
| El Paso, TX | $7,216 | $3,436–$10,996 | -8% |
| San Juan, PR | $6,618 | $3,152–$10,085 | -16% |
How much does an HVAC replacement cost?
A full HVAC replacement costs $3,750–$12,000 installed for a typical US home — Typical 2.5-ton system (~2,000 sq ft), mid-range brand, existing ductwork. 2026 pricing reflects the R-454B/R-32 A2L refrigerant transition. That national range is what the 100 metro rows above each adjust for local labor. Price your own system below: the tool starts national, and the metro is an optional adjustment using the same BLS wage data as the table.
Educational calculators — always consult a licensed professional before making financial decisions.
Your HVAC system
Complete ducted system: new AC unit and new gas furnace installed together. This is the “furnace + AC replacement” job, and also the whole-system path for a new HVAC system.
A changeout reuses the line set, pad, circuit and stat wiring. A first install has to create all four.
Furnace + AC replacement, or a straight swap of either. Removal and disposal of the old equipment is already inside the labor figure.
Square footage sets the tonnage. The metro is optional and adjusts for local HVAC labor rates.
Leave on national, or pick your metro to adjust for local HVAC labor rates.
No local adjustment — the national figures as the sources publish them.
Mid-size home, 3–4 bedrooms. Typically needs a 3–3.5 ton unit.
Meets minimum federal requirements. Lower upfront cost, higher operating costs. Good if budget is tight.
Brands like Lennox, Carrier, or Trane mid-tier. Balance of reliability, efficiency, and warranty (10 years).
On a ducted system, how hard the space is to work in moves labor more than anything else on the quote.
The reference case. Open working room at ground level, easiest access.
Your current ducts are in good shape and sized correctly. Saves $2,000–$8,000.
Select all that apply. Each is a separate line on a real bid.
Estimated Installation Cost
$3,740 – $6,920
2.5-ton replacement, fully installed — National average
Cost Breakdown
Where Your Money Goes
Your Selections
Where these numbers come from. Equipment and labor come from this page’s sourced dataset — AC Direct on the R-454B refrigerant uplift, the BLS Producer Price Index for HVAC equipment, and the EPA AIM Act technology-transition rule, all retrieved 2026-07-13. No local adjustment is applied — pick a metro above to scale for local HVAC labor rates. The first-install extras, the equipment-location labor factor and the four separate line items are ESTIMATED planning brackets: no source in that dataset publishes them. The line set is the one whose direction is sourced — the 2026 A2L refrigerant transition is why many existing line sets cannot be reused on a changeout. A replacement adds nothing on the job-type line because removal and disposal of the old equipment is already inside the sourced labor band.
Estimates based on national averages. Actual costs vary by region and contractor.
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A2L transition (Jan 1, 2026) adds ~10–15% to equipment cost on refrigerant-bearing systems; midpoint 12% applied. Premium equipment and new ductwork push the top of the range higher. The same tool has its own page at the HVAC installation cost calculator, with the full methodology and source list. Looking for a specific city? Every metro in the table above has its own page; this hub is the national answer.
HVAC / AC replacement cost by state
If you are comparing states rather than cities, these pages average every metro area above that falls inside a state. They are a coarser number than the metro rows by design — useful for setting expectations, not for budgeting a job.
- HVAC / AC replacement cost in Arizona — typically $7,630 across 2 metro areas
- HVAC / AC replacement cost in Maryland — typically $8,149 across 3 metro areas
- HVAC / AC replacement cost in Ohio — typically $7,944 across 6 metro areas
- HVAC / AC replacement cost in Texas — typically $7,564 across 6 metro areas
How this is calculated
- Labor share 35%. HVAC is equipment-dominated: the condenser, air handler, and coil are a majority of the cost and are priced nationally. That compresses the metro spread relative to roofing — local labor still matters, but it is moving a smaller share of the total.
- Metro labor factor: mean annual wage for hvac mechanics and installers in each metro ÷ the national mean for the same occupation.
- Materials: We vary labor by metro and hold materials at the national level. That is deliberate: shingles, copper, HVAC equipment, and cabinets are nationally traded and priced, and what actually varies locally is freight and sales tax — both small next to the labor spread. We have no metro-level materials index we can defend, so rather than invent one, we vary only what we can source.
- Coverage: 100 of 100 metros. The rest are missing because BLS suppresses wage data for this trade there, and we do not fill gaps with estimates.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area estimates, May 2025. Educational estimates — get local quotes before budgeting.