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Mapped: America’s Most Air-Conditioned States

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Mapped: America’s Most Air-Conditioned States

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Key Takeaways

  • Air conditioning is nearly universal across much of the South, with several states reporting AC in more than 99% of homes.
  • Some of America’s largest states have relatively low AC adoption, including California, Oregon, and Washington.

Air conditioning has become a standard feature in most American homes, especially in regions where hot and humid summers are common. However, cooling access still varies widely across the country.

This map shows the share of homes with air conditioning in every U.S. state and the District of Columbia, based on 2023 estimates. The data for this visualization comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Local Air Conditioning Estimates (LACE).

Air Conditioning Is a Way of Life in the South

The highest rates of air conditioning ownership are concentrated across the South and parts of the Midwest. Delaware, Florida, and Oklahoma all report AC in 99.5% of homes, while Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, and Nebraska all exceed 99%.

Rank State Share of households with air conditioning
1 Florida 99.50%
2 Delaware 99.49%
3 Oklahoma 99.49%
4 Alabama 99.20%
5 Louisiana 99.10%
6 Nebraska 99.10%
7 Missouri 99.10%
8 Georgia 99.09%
9 Texas 98.99%
10 South Carolina 98.91%
11 Mississippi 98.91%
12 New Jersey 98.91%
13 Indiana 98.90%
14 Iowa 98.90%
15 Kansas 98.61%
16 Maryland 98.31%
17 Tennessee 98.20%
18 Virginia 98.20%
19 District of Columbia 98.20%
20 Illinois 98.18%
21 Arizona 97.99%
22 North Dakota 97.91%
23 Kentucky 97.79%
24 Arkansas 97.39%
25 North Carolina 97.30%
26 Ohio 96.40%
27 Nevada 96.11%
28 Minnesota 96.10%
29 South Dakota 95.41%
30 Connecticut 94.90%
31 Pennsylvania 94.30%
32 Massachusetts 94.12%
33 Wisconsin 92.30%
34 Utah 91.81%
35 West Virginia 91.80%
36 Rhode Island 91.63%
37 Michigan 91.40%
38 Idaho 90.70%
39 New York 90.21%
40 New Hampshire 87.18%
41 Colorado 86.60%
42 New Mexico 85.89%
43 Oregon 81.91%
44 Maine 81.71%
45 Wyoming 78.89%
46 California 78.61%
47 Montana 72.99%
48 Vermont 72.79%
49 Washington 65.79%
50 Hawaii 56.57%
51 Alaska 7.01%

In these regions, long summers, high humidity, and frequent heat waves have made air conditioning a practical necessity rather than a luxury.

Texas, Arizona, and much of the Southeast similarly report cooling access above 98%, highlighting how deeply integrated air conditioning has become in daily life across warm-weather regions.

The Pacific Coast Remains an Outlier

Several western states have significantly lower air conditioning rates despite their large populations. California ranks near the bottom at 78.6%, while Oregon sits at 81.9% and Washington at just 65.8%.

Historically, coastal climates and steady ocean breezes reduced the need for cooling systems in these states. Many homes were built without central air conditioning because extreme heat events were relatively rare.

However, rising temperatures and more frequent heat waves are beginning to challenge these assumptions.

Heat Waves Are Driving New Demand

Recent extreme weather events have increased attention on cooling access as a public health issue. During the Pacific Northwest heat dome in June 2021, temperatures reached unprecedented levels across Washington and Oregon.

The event contributed to more than 100 deaths across the two states, where many households lack air conditioning.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Alaska remains the clear outlier, with only 7% of homes reporting air conditioning. Hawaii also reports relatively low adoption at 56.6%, reflecting its traditionally moderate climate and the cooling effects of steady trade winds.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The U.S. States Most and Least Prepared for Extreme Weather on Voronoi.

Source
America