Last reviewed: September 2026 · By the HVAC Brief Editorial Team · Our sourcing and editorial standards
The United States had 132.54 million occupied homes in 2024, up from 123.53 million in 2020, according to the first release of the 2024 Residential Energy Consumption Survey. That is a 7.3% increase in four years.
One caveat shapes how this data can be used: the March 2026 release covers structural and geographic characteristics, appliances, electronics and lighting. The heating and cooling equipment tables are not part of it. EIA says the fuels and end uses data will be released in spring 2027, so every equipment figure on this site, and everywhere else, is still 2020 vintage.
What kind of homes
Single-family detached houses remain the bulk of the stock at 82.51 million, 62.3% of all homes. Apartments in buildings of five or more units are the second largest group.
| Housing unit type | Homes (millions) | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Single-family detached | 82.51 | 62.3% |
| Apartment, 5 or more units | 25.05 | 18.9% |
| Apartment, 2 to 4 units | 9.69 | 7.3% |
| Single-family attached | 8.65 | 6.5% |
| Mobile home | 6.64 | 5.0% |
That matters for equipment because housing type largely decides what can be installed. A detached house can take ducted central equipment; an apartment in a large building usually cannot, which is where window units and ductless systems concentrate.
Where the heating and cooling loads are
The stock splits almost evenly between the coldest and the mixed-humid climate regions, at 42.10 million and 42.02 million homes. Hot-humid covers 25.15 million.
| Climate region | Homes (millions) | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Very cold or cold | 42.10 | 31.8% |
| Mixed-humid | 42.02 | 31.7% |
| Hot-humid | 25.15 | 19.0% |
| Mixed-dry or hot-dry | 16.28 | 12.3% |
| Marine | 6.98 | 5.3% |
This is the distribution behind the regional efficiency rules. Federal minimum SEER2 for split air conditioners is higher in the Southeast and Southwest than in the North, and the split is drawn on installation location. See how the regional standards work.
By census region, the South holds 51.49 million homes, more than the Northeast and Midwest combined at 51.42 million. 106.30 million homes are urban and 26.23 million rural.
The stock is old, which is the HVAC story
63.24 million homes, 47.7% of the total, were built before 1980. Only 6.06 million were built between 2020 and 2024.
| Year of construction | Homes (millions) | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Before 1950 | 20.25 | 15.3% |
| 1950 to 1959 | 12.17 | 9.2% |
| 1960 to 1969 | 12.73 | 9.6% |
| 1970 to 1979 | 18.09 | 13.6% |
| 1980 to 1989 | 16.60 | 12.5% |
| 1990 to 1999 | 15.89 | 12.0% |
| 2000 to 2009 | 18.28 | 13.8% |
| 2010 to 2019 | 12.48 | 9.4% |
| 2020 to 2024 | 6.06 | 4.6% |
Age drives the work. Older houses were not built around the ducts they now contain, they leak more air, and their electrical service was not designed for heat pumps or electric backup heat. That is why sizing and envelope work matter more than equipment selection in most retrofits; see why insulation comes first and how sizing is supposed to be done.
The 2024 survey collected responses from nearly 17,000 households, but EIA is publishing it in stages. The heating equipment, air conditioning and water heating tables, the ones that tell you how many homes run a furnace or a heat pump, are scheduled for spring 2027. Until then, the current equipment figures remain the 2020 survey: 109.51 million homes using air conditioning, 53.26 million heating with a gas central furnace and 16.13 million with a heat pump. Anyone citing 2024 equipment shares is extrapolating.
How to use these numbers
Use the 2024 data for the denominator, the size and shape of the housing stock. Use the 2020 data for equipment, and say which vintage you are using.
Mixing them produces wrong shares. The 2020 equipment counts were drawn against a 123.53 million home base; applying them to 132.54 million homes overstates every total by about 7%. Our own pages use the 2020 base for equipment and will be revised when the 2027 tables land.
Frequently asked questions
How many homes are there in the US?
132.54 million homes were occupied as a primary residence in 2024, according to the EIA Residential Energy Consumption Survey released in March 2026. That is up from 123.53 million in the 2020 survey, an increase of 7.3%.
How old is the US housing stock?
63.24 million homes, 47.7% of the total, were built before 1980, and 20.25 million before 1950. Only 6.06 million homes were built between 2020 and 2024.
Does the 2024 survey say how US homes are heated?
Not yet. The March 2026 release covers structural and geographic characteristics, appliances, electronics and lighting. EIA says fuels and end uses data, which includes heating and cooling equipment, will be released in spring 2027. Equipment figures remain those of the 2020 survey.
Which climate regions hold the most homes?
Very cold and cold regions hold 42.10 million homes and mixed-humid 42.02 million, together about 63% of the stock. Hot-humid covers 25.15 million, mixed-dry and hot-dry 16.28 million, and marine 6.98 million.
Methodology and limitations
Figures are EIA RECS 2024 table HC2.1, preliminary data released March 2026, compared with RECS 2020 tables HC1.1, HC6.1 and HC7.1. Shares are calculated by The HVAC Brief from published counts.
- 2024 values are preliminary and may change in the final release.
- RECS counts homes occupied as a primary residence, so it is not a count of all housing units.
- Equipment comparisons across the two vintages are not published and we do not construct them.
Sources
- US Energy Information Administration, Residential Energy Consumption Survey 2024, table HC2.1, preliminary release March 2026.
- US Energy Information Administration, Residential Energy Consumption Survey 2020, tables HC1.1, HC6.1 and HC7.1.
The HVAC Brief is an independent trade publication. We do not sell equipment, take manufacturer advertising, or accept payment for placement in our research. Corrections welcome.
