Cost guides / HVAC replacement
HVAC Replacement Cost (2026)
Replacing a 3-ton central air conditioner and gas furnace together costs $8,360 to $19,520, before any rebates. The typical price is $12,670. Use the calculator for your system type, size and state.
Estimate your cost
Most quotes for this job fall between Low and High. Prices are before rebates.
| Equipment and installation materials | $7,300 |
|---|---|
| Labor (HVAC technicians, local wages) | $810 |
| Overhead, profit and removal of the old equipment | $4,280 |
| Permit | $280 |
Total price in dollars before rebates, for example 12000.
What the estimate includes
- The new equipment: an outdoor AC unit with its indoor coil, a gas furnace, or both
- Refrigerant lines, plenum and flue connections, and a thermostat
- Typical electrical work
- Removal of the old equipment and refrigerant recovery
- Mechanical permit
Not included: new ductwork, an electrical panel upgrade, a new gas line or venting, and rebates or tax credits.
Cost by system size and type
Typical price, national average, before rebates.
| Size | AC and gas furnace | AC only | Furnace only |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 tons | $9,840 | $7,220 | $5,180 |
| 3 tons | $12,670 | $9,050 | $6,060 |
| 4 tons | $15,530 | $10,900 | $6,950 |
| 5 tons | $18,360 | $12,750 | $7,810 |
HVAC replacement cost by state
3-ton central AC and gas furnace, before rebates. Labor uses each state's wages for HVAC technicians (BLS, May 2025).
| State | Low | Typical | High | HVAC tech wage/hr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $7,820 | $11,860 | $18,320 | $23.26 |
| Alaska | $9,210 | $13,940 | $21,430 | $37.23 |
| Arizona | $8,130 | $12,310 | $18,980 | $28.56 |
| Arkansas | $7,590 | $11,510 | $17,750 | $23.13 |
| California | $9,100 | $13,800 | $21,250 | $34.88 |
| Colorado | $8,400 | $12,710 | $19,590 | $31.35 |
| Connecticut | $8,500 | $12,870 | $19,810 | $36.83 |
| Delaware | $8,200 | $12,420 | $19,140 | $29.96 |
| District of Columbia | $9,390 | $14,220 | $21,890 | $40.57 |
| Florida | $8,190 | $12,420 | $19,170 | $27.24 |
| Georgia | $8,130 | $12,320 | $18,990 | $27.11 |
| Hawaii | $9,370 | $14,200 | $21,900 | $31.47 |
| Idaho | $8,020 | $12,140 | $18,740 | $27.04 |
| Illinois | $8,930 | $13,520 | $20,780 | $37.21 |
| Indiana | $8,050 | $12,200 | $18,800 | $29.05 |
| Iowa | $7,710 | $11,680 | $18,010 | $29.17 |
| Kansas | $7,750 | $11,730 | $18,100 | $29.07 |
| Kentucky | $7,960 | $12,040 | $18,570 | $28.18 |
| Louisiana | $7,730 | $11,700 | $18,040 | $28.20 |
| Maine | $8,360 | $12,670 | $19,530 | $30.37 |
| Maryland | $8,820 | $13,360 | $20,560 | $33.67 |
| Massachusetts | $8,670 | $13,130 | $20,200 | $37.16 |
| Michigan | $8,130 | $12,340 | $19,000 | $29.26 |
| Minnesota | $8,630 | $13,080 | $20,130 | $36.71 |
| Mississippi | $7,790 | $11,820 | $18,260 | $23.41 |
| Missouri | $7,940 | $12,030 | $18,540 | $28.82 |
| Montana | $8,050 | $12,210 | $18,820 | $29.26 |
| Nebraska | $7,720 | $11,690 | $18,040 | $28.77 |
| Nevada | $8,070 | $12,240 | $18,870 | $29.09 |
| New Hampshire | $8,580 | $13,000 | $20,010 | $35.51 |
| New Jersey | $9,240 | $14,010 | $21,570 | $35.79 |
| New Mexico | $7,910 | $12,000 | $18,510 | $24.17 |
| New York | $9,250 | $14,020 | $21,600 | $35.78 |
| North Carolina | $8,000 | $12,120 | $18,690 | $27.53 |
| North Dakota | $7,920 | $12,000 | $18,490 | $35.81 |
| Ohio | $7,920 | $12,020 | $18,520 | $30.06 |
| Oklahoma | $7,730 | $11,720 | $18,050 | $27.67 |
| Oregon | $8,840 | $13,370 | $20,670 | $30.26 |
| Pennsylvania | $8,350 | $12,640 | $19,520 | $30.00 |
| Rhode Island | $8,340 | $12,670 | $19,480 | $32.39 |
| South Carolina | $7,970 | $12,070 | $18,620 | $27.22 |
| South Dakota | $7,760 | $11,750 | $18,090 | $29.51 |
| Tennessee | $7,870 | $11,920 | $18,380 | $26.68 |
| Texas | $8,100 | $12,270 | $18,900 | $27.77 |
| Utah | $8,060 | $12,220 | $18,830 | $28.24 |
| Vermont | $8,310 | $12,590 | $19,390 | $29.88 |
| Virginia | $8,390 | $12,720 | $19,620 | $28.72 |
| Washington | $9,080 | $13,760 | $21,150 | $36.38 |
| West Virginia | $7,930 | $12,040 | $18,580 | $23.49 |
| Wisconsin | $8,000 | $12,130 | $18,700 | $29.67 |
| Wyoming | $7,930 | $12,030 | $18,560 | $26.30 |
What homeowners actually paid
We checked this calculator against 216 HVAC replacement quotes and invoices that homeowners shared publicly from 2019 to 2026, in 22 states, before rebates. Older prices were adjusted to 2026 with official construction cost indexes. Their median was $11,400 for a mix of system types and sizes, and 81% of them fell between our Low and High estimates for the same system and state.
Published cost guides we checked put a similar job at about $12,800 (median of 6 guides from 2026), close to our typical price.
What affects the cost
- What you replace: an AC and furnace together cost more than either alone, but less than two separate jobs.
- Size: each extra ton adds about $2,860 for an AC and furnace. Ask for a load calculation instead of sizing by square feet.
- Efficiency: higher-efficiency and variable-speed equipment costs more.
- Ducts and electrical: duct changes and panel upgrades are the most common extra costs.
- Your state: labor is about 6% of the typical price, equipment and materials about 58%.
Common questions
Should I repair or replace my HVAC system?
A common rule of thumb: multiply the age of the system in years by the repair cost. If the result is more than $5,000, replacement usually makes more sense. For example, a $400 repair on a 15-year-old system gives 6,000. It is only a starting point, so ask for both prices in writing.
How much does it cost to replace HVAC in a 2,000 sq ft house?
It depends on the size your home needs, which a contractor should calculate (ACCA Manual J) from your climate, insulation and windows. For reference, a 3-ton AC and gas furnace typically cost $12,670 and a 4-ton system $15,530 nationally, before rebates.
Is it cheaper to replace the AC and furnace at the same time?
Yes, in our estimates. A 3-ton AC and furnace replaced together typically cost $12,670, versus $15,110 as two separate jobs, because the visit, permit and removal are shared. The indoor coil and furnace blower also work together with the outdoor unit, so many contractors recommend replacing them as a matched system.
Is there a federal tax credit for a new AC or furnace in 2026?
No. The federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (section 25C), which covered qualifying central air conditioners and furnaces, does not apply to equipment placed in service after December 31, 2025 (IRS). Some states and utilities still offer rebates, so check before you sign.
Why does installation cost so much more than the equipment?
The equipment is only part of the job. A typical AC and furnace replacement also includes refrigerant lines and other materials, electrical work, about 20 hours of technician time, removal of the old equipment, a permit and the contractor's overhead. Equipment and materials are about 58% of a typical price.
How we calculated this
Equipment prices per ton from manufacturers and HVAC supply houses (checked October 2026), installation hours from manufacturer and installer sources times local HVAC technician wages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025), contractor margins from industry data, and regional price levels from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. We check the result against verified homeowner quotes. Verified quotes ran about 13% below our line-item model, so the estimate includes a -13% market adjustment (why we adjust). Full methodology · Sources.
Estimates, not quotes. Actual prices depend on your contractor, home and equipment.
Changelog
- : Published.
- : Cost model built from 216 verified homeowner quotes (2019-2026), local trade wages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025) and material prices checked in October 2026.
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