|
America Counts: Stories Behind the Numbers
Who Doesn’t Have Air Conditioning?
More than nine out of 10 U.S. households have air conditioning (AC) in their homes, but that national count is meaningless to communities where AC access is virtually nonexistent.
As the scorching days of summer approach, state and local governments want to know which neighborhoods are most vulnerable to heat risk.
The U.S. Census Bureau recently released the Local Air Conditioning Estimates (LACE), an experimental measure of air conditioning prevalence at the state, county and tract levels. These estimates can help community planners gauge who is most at risk of heat exposure and compare air conditioning access across communities, states and regions.
Municipalities that try to address extreme heat dangers often lack consistent local estimates of households that have air conditioning. Some areas produce their own estimates, but those don’t allow for wider comparisons like LACE.
Continue reading to learn more about how access to air conditioning varies nationwide.
|
|
You May Be Interested In
Heat Risks and Cooling Problems in America’s Households
The American Housing Survey shows 13.2 million households — more in urban than rural areas — were uncomfortably hot for 24 hours or more in 2023.
|
|
|
|
|
