As an HVAC installer in the Hudson Valley and Catskills region, we spend most of our time doing new installs and replacements of central air conditioning systems, heating systems, ductless mini-splits and more. Sometimes, it’s hard to have perspective on the meta-trends going on in our region. Are more people truly installing modern heating and cooling systems?
We took a look at the latest data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration to find out. In this blog post, we’re going to compare the data from 2015 to 2020 for the Northeast “Middle Atlantic” region that includes New York State.
1. More Households are Adopting Air Conditioning, Especially Central Systems
From 2015 to 2020, AC use climbed from 17.8M to 19.5M households in the Middle Atlantic zone, or from 84.7% of households to 88.9%. As of 2020, only 11.1% of households are still roughing it with zero air conditioning.
2. More Households Are Moving Away from Window Units
In 2015, 7.4M households (35%) had central air. In 2020, that number went up to 8.57M (39%). While Central Air or ductless mini-split heat pumps may have higher up-front costs (which are mitigated by federal and state tax breaks and rebates), they are more efficient and can create a more pleasant environment at home.
3. Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pumps Emerged in 2020
Mini-splits weren’t even counted in the 2015 data, but in 2020, they made up 770,000 of the 21.92M homes that had some form of air conditioning. They’re particularly well suited for older homes that don’t have duct work, but who still want cooling capabilities above and beyond window units.
4. Older units are being replaced faster
Significant numbers of systems are under four years old (7.6M in 2020), showing accelerated replacement cycles, likely for efficiency and comfort.
5. People Are Keeping Their Homes Colder When They’re At Home
Between 2015 and 2020, households in the Middle Atlantic region, including New York, showed a clear trend toward cooler indoor settings during the summer daytime hours when someone is home. The share of homes kept at 69°F or below rose from 4.9 million to 6.38 million, and those at exactly 70°F increased from 3.0 million to 4.02 million. Mid-range comfort settings, like 74–76°F, saw a noticeable decline (from 4.3 million to 3.5 million), while warmer ranges like 77–79°F and 80°F or above stayed essentially flat. This shift toward cooler temperatures suggests that homeowners are placing greater value on comfort and perhaps improved indoor air quality, likely due to the adoption of more efficient AC systems and better humidity control. For HVAC companies, this reinforces the importance of promoting high-efficiency cooling solutions that can maintain lower temperatures without significantly driving up energy costs.
6. People Are Also Keeping Their Homes Colder When They’re Not At Home
When no one is home during the summer daytime hours, Middle Atlantic households are also trending toward cooler indoor settings, though the shift is less dramatic than when the home is occupied. The number of homes kept at 69°F or below climbed from 3.2 million in 2015 to 4.89 million in 2020, and homes set at 70°F rose from 2.2 million to 2.87 million. Meanwhile, the largest decline was in the 74–76°F range, dropping from 5.1 million to 4.24 million, suggesting that more homeowners are running their systems to maintain a cooler baseline even when away. Warmer settings like 80°F or above saw only a slight dip (3.2 million to 3.05 million). This shift implies that comfort preferences, and possibly humidity control or protection of home interiors, are driving people to use their AC systems more consistently, even when the space is unoccupied. This underlines the growing opportunity to promote smart and programmable thermostat solutions that can optimize cooling schedules, balancing comfort with energy savings.
7. People Are Keeping Their Homes Cooler at Night, Too
At night, Middle Atlantic households are showing a clear move toward cooler sleeping environments. The share of homes kept at 69°F or below rose from 5.7 million in 2015 to 7.51 million in 2020, reinforcing a regional preference for colder nighttime settings. Moderate settings like 70°F and 71–73°F also saw small gains, while 74–76°F dropped from 3.7 million to 3.07 million, and 77–79°F fell from 1 million to just 0.81 million. Interestingly, the percentage of households sleeping at 80°F or higher ticked up slightly, from 0.4 million to 0.62 million, suggesting a small segment remains committed to warmer nights, possibly for energy savings or comfort reasons.
