Las Vegas AC Age Report 2026: Home Age by ZIP Code, Summer Heat and Replacement Timing

Published by Colton Air Conditioning (NV Lic. 0092120). Data current as of November 12, 2026.

Key findings

1. How old are Las Vegas-area homes?

Housing in Southern Nevada is much newer than the national housing stock. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 five-year estimates:12

Area Median year built Built before 2000 Built before 2010 Built 2010 or later
Clark County 1998 55.3% 83.8% 16.2%
City of Las Vegas 1994 66.6% 88.1% 11.9%
Nevada 1996 58.5% 84.7% 15.3%
United States 1980 74.9% 88.6% 11.4%

Two things stand out. First, a typical valley home is nearly two decades younger than a typical U.S. home. Second, even so, the large majority of valley homes were built before 2010, and that date matters for refrigerant (Section 4).

Across the 56 valley ZIP codes in this report, the median year built ranges from 1971 (89107) to 2014 (89086). In 33 of the 56 ZIP codes the median home was built in 2001 or earlier.1

Chart: number of valley ZIP codes by the median year their homes were built

Home age is not AC age. Many homes have already had their air conditioning replaced, some more than once. The Census does not track HVAC equipment. Housing age tells you the earliest an original system could have been installed, not what is on the pad today.

2. ZIP-by-ZIP table

The table below covers 56 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) in the Las Vegas valley. ZCTAs are the Census Bureau's approximations of USPS ZIP codes. "MOE" is the 90% margin of error on the median year built. Shares of homes by year built use all housing units; owner-occupied and heating-fuel shares use occupied units.1234

Download: las-vegas-zip-housing-age-2024.csv

ZIP Median year built (MOE ±) Housing units Built before 2000 Built 2000–2009 Built 2010 or later Owner-occupied Heat: utility gas Heat: electricity
89002 (Henderson) 2000 (±1) 14,076 50.4% 33.4% 16.2% 81.4% 78.0% 18.2%
89011 (Henderson) 2009 (±2) 16,773 25.2% 28.2% 46.6% 70.0% 73.9% 22.6%
89012 (Henderson) 2002 (±1) 16,951 43.3% 35.8% 20.9% 61.7% 78.0% 19.3%
89014 (Henderson) 1993 (±1) 18,129 75.7% 15.1% 9.2% 52.8% 54.0% 43.5%
89015 (Henderson) 1993 (±2) 17,311 72.0% 17.5% 10.5% 62.4% 64.6% 32.5%
89030 1975 (±2) 16,442 84.8% 9.8% 5.4% 35.3% 35.6% 59.4%
89031 2002 (±2) 25,816 38.8% 46.6% 14.6% 73.1% 79.9% 16.5%
89032 2000 (±2) 17,028 51.5% 36.7% 11.8% 62.2% 73.7% 21.9%
89044 (Henderson) 2010 (±1) 13,740 2.6% 48.2% 49.2% 81.6% 76.8% 18.7%
89052 (Henderson) 2005 (±1) 27,010 24.0% 54.9% 21.2% 61.5% 69.8% 27.5%
89074 (Henderson) 1996 (±1) 22,525 73.3% 14.8% 11.9% 59.5% 69.9% 27.5%
89081 2006 (±1) 14,230 11.2% 62.8% 25.9% 67.0% 76.3% 20.5%
89084 2008 (±1) 14,401 5.1% 54.6% 40.3% 76.0% 71.3% 24.9%
89085 2006 (±1) 1,608 8.0% 69.3% 22.7% 84.6% 78.3% 19.6%
89086 2014 (±3) 4,184 10.0% 32.6% 57.5% 54.9% 57.2% 39.6%
89101 1974 (±2) 18,050 81.1% 13.7% 5.2% 18.7% 17.3% 79.5%
89102 1979 (±2) 16,796 88.0% 8.7% 3.3% 29.8% 31.5% 66.0%
89103 1986 (±1) 25,427 84.1% 10.9% 4.9% 32.3% 44.2% 52.2%
89104 1976 (±1) 16,506 90.0% 5.6% 4.4% 42.2% 38.4% 57.5%
89106 1987 (±2) 11,085 79.9% 14.2% 5.9% 31.2% 39.7% 55.1%
89107 1971 (±1) 13,902 95.5% 2.0% 2.5% 56.5% 34.8% 61.8%
89108 1986 (±1) 28,339 84.4% 11.7% 4.0% 49.1% 52.3% 43.1%
89109 2003 (±2) 11,300 33.7% 64.7% 1.6% 34.7% 21.0% 77.9%
89110 1987 (±2) 23,752 83.2% 13.0% 3.9% 54.5% 60.9% 36.0%
89113 2007 (±1) 16,921 26.4% 32.7% 40.9% 62.6% 67.8% 30.2%
89115 1992 (±2) 21,923 68.7% 19.7% 11.6% 35.1% 51.3% 44.2%
89117 1993 (±1) 25,538 80.4% 15.3% 4.3% 46.7% 56.9% 41.1%
89118 1996 (±1) 10,288 67.0% 18.8% 14.2% 47.3% 58.2% 36.1%
89119 1983 (±1) 24,551 87.8% 8.4% 3.8% 22.8% 29.2% 67.4%
89120 1984 (±2) 9,821 86.4% 9.2% 4.4% 59.5% 58.7% 38.9%
89121 1980 (±2) 29,616 89.3% 8.1% 2.6% 51.3% 41.8% 53.1%
89122 2000 (±1) 21,986 49.5% 40.6% 10.0% 58.0% 65.0% 30.4%
89123 1998 (±1) 24,820 58.7% 33.8% 7.4% 59.4% 70.7% 24.6%
89128 1994 (±1) 17,055 87.4% 8.5% 4.1% 50.8% 48.5% 49.4%
89129 1999 (±1) 22,096 56.1% 31.7% 12.2% 72.0% 71.3% 25.0%
89130 1997 (±1) 13,993 65.1% 24.1% 10.8% 72.0% 72.4% 22.3%
89131 2004 (±1) 18,559 22.9% 61.4% 15.7% 81.6% 76.7% 19.5%
89134 1994 (±1) 12,983 92.5% 5.2% 2.2% 82.5% 77.6% 20.6%
89135 2006 (±1) 15,201 14.0% 58.4% 27.6% 71.1% 72.6% 25.1%
89138 2011 (±2) 10,524 4.4% 41.3% 54.2% 82.9% 76.6% 21.1%
89139 2007 (±1) 15,727 13.9% 52.0% 34.1% 63.5% 67.6% 27.5%
89141 2009 (±2) 15,582 5.6% 52.0% 42.4% 73.5% 77.6% 18.9%
89142 1995 (±1) 11,541 67.4% 25.2% 7.4% 61.3% 64.9% 30.3%
89143 2005 (±1) 4,574 18.4% 64.9% 16.7% 73.8% 73.9% 16.4%
89144 2000 (±1) 8,770 51.3% 45.7% 2.9% 69.1% 76.0% 20.4%
89145 1991 (±2) 10,809 80.0% 13.4% 6.6% 63.5% 64.0% 33.4%
89146 1982 (±2) 8,628 92.4% 5.8% 1.8% 41.4% 41.5% 55.6%
89147 1997 (±2) 22,929 63.9% 22.7% 13.5% 50.6% 70.3% 25.8%
89148 2008 (±1) 25,479 10.2% 51.0% 38.8% 58.8% 72.3% 23.4%
89149 2005 (±2) 17,550 30.6% 43.0% 26.4% 70.8% 65.0% 32.3%
89156 1993 (±2) 10,296 76.4% 18.7% 4.9% 62.0% 66.6% 26.9%
89166 2013 (±2) 11,239 5.8% 24.1% 70.1% 72.1% 68.7% 27.6%
89169 1978 (±2) 14,061 91.4% 6.5% 2.1% 19.3% 28.3% 69.2%
89178 2009 (±2) 16,309 5.7% 51.7% 42.5% 72.6% 77.7% 19.8%
89179 2013 (±2) 4,038 4.7% 28.3% 67.1% 78.3% 77.9% 18.3%
89183 2005 (±1) 16,419 22.2% 57.6% 20.2% 55.1% 65.8% 31.3%
Clark County, NV 1998 (±1) 948,995 55.3% 28.6% 16.2% 57.8% 60.2% 36.2%
City of Las Vegas, NV 1994 (±1) 267,654 66.6% 21.5% 11.9% 56.6% 57.6% 39.2%
Nevada 1996 (±1) 1,326,471 58.5% 26.1% 15.3% 60.0% 58.9% 34.7%
United States 1980 (±1) 143,775,355 74.9% 13.6% 11.4% 65.2% 46.5% 41.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, tables B25035, B25034, B25003 and B25040. All estimates are subject to sampling error.

"Henderson" is shown for the 8 ZIP codes where at least 85% of the ZCTA's housing units in the 2020 Census are inside the City of Henderson (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census blocks and TIGER boundaries). Other ZIP codes are shown without a place name.

The heating-fuel columns help explain what else is in the home: across Clark County, 60.2% of occupied homes heat mainly with utility gas and 36.2% with electricity.4 Homes that heat with electricity typically use a heat pump or an electric furnace.

3. Why AC systems work hard here: the heat load

Cooling degree days (CDD) measure how far, and for how long, the daily average temperature sits above 65°F. More CDD means more hours of air-conditioner run time. Data below are from NOAA's Applied Climate Information System (ACIS) for the Las Vegas airport weather station (Harry Reid International Airport, station USW00023169).5

Measure 1991–2020 average* 2024 2025
Cooling degree days (base 65°F) 3,700 4,557 4,015
Days at or above 100°F 78.2 112 77
Days at or above 110°F 9.5 36 9
Nights with a low of 90°F or higher — 22 0
Highest temperature of the year — 120°F (July 7) 112°F

*Averages are calculated by Colton from ACIS annual values for 1991–2020. They are not NOAA's official 1991–2020 Climate Normals.

2024 had the most cooling degree days, the most 100°F days and the most 110°F days of any year from 1991 to 2025, and its 120°F high on July 7 is the highest annual maximum at the station in ACIS records from 1949 through 2025.5

Chart: days at or above 110°F and cooling degree days, 1991–2025

4. How long do central air conditioners last? What official sources say

We did not find a published Las Vegas field study of AC lifespans. The most-cited federal figures are:

Source What it says What kind of figure it is
U.S. DOE, 2017 direct final rule (82 FR 1786), Table IV-166 Average lifetime: central AC 21.2 years nationally, 24.9 years in the hot-dry region (Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico); heat pumps 15.3 years nationally, 15.4 years hot-dry Modeled from national shipment data for the efficiency rulemaking, not measured in Las Vegas homes
U.S. DOE, Energy Saver guide (2022)7 Consider replacing if "your heat pump or air conditioner is more than 10 years old" (or a furnace or boiler more than 15) A prompt to evaluate, not a failure date

In practice, the age of the equipment is one factor among several: repair history, refrigerant type, efficiency, comfort problems and how well the system has been maintained.

5. The rules that shape replacement timing

Timeline: federal refrigerant and efficiency milestones for home AC systems

R-22 (HCFC-22). Federal rules limit the use of newly produced HCFC-22 as a refrigerant to equipment manufactured before January 1, 2010.10 U.S. production and import of HCFC-22 ended January 1, 2020; reclaimed and previously produced R-22 can still be used to service existing systems.89 EPA does not require homeowners to replace a working R-22 system, and notes there are no "drop-in" replacements for R-22.8

What this likely means for valley homes: a home built before 2010 that still has its original air conditioner may well be running on R-22. That is an inference from build dates and the federal rules, not a measured share; the Census does not record refrigerant type, and many pre-2010 homes have already had their systems replaced.

Efficiency (SEER2). Since January 1, 2023, split-system central air conditioners installed in the Southwest region (Arizona, California, Nevada and New Mexico) must meet regional minimums:11

Split-system AC, certified cooling capacity Minimum SEER2 Minimum EER2
Under 45,000 Btu/h 14.3 11.7 (if SEER2 is under 15.2) or 9.8 (if SEER2 is 15.2 or higher)
45,000 Btu/h or more 13.8 11.2 (if SEER2 is under 15.2) or 9.8 (if SEER2 is 15.2 or higher)

The national minimum for split-system heat pumps is 14.3 SEER2 and 7.5 HSPF2.11

Refrigerant transition (2025 onward). Beginning January 1, 2025, new residential and light-commercial air conditioning and heat pump systems are limited to refrigerants with a global warming potential (GWP) of 700 or less, such as R-454B or R-32.1213 An EPA final rule effective July 27, 2026, removed the installation deadline for systems whose specified components were all manufactured in or imported into the U.S. before January 1, 2025, so that older inventory, such as R-410A equipment, can still be installed.13 Components made for existing higher-GWP systems, such as R-410A, carry a "For servicing existing equipment only" label.13

6. Replacement and repair activity: City of Las Vegas permits

The City of Las Vegas publishes building-permit records through its open data portal. Counting residential permits that carry the City's fee code for "heating ventilation air conditioning (HVAC) exact change outs/repairs":14

Year Residential permits with HVAC change-out/repair fee code
2011 808
2012 690
2013 470
2014 947
2015 932
2016 1,198
2017 1,790
2018 2,348
2019 2,736
2020 2,921
2021 3,582
2022 3,973
2023 3,975
2024 4,267
2025 4,116
2026 (through Nov. 12) 3,776

Read these numbers with care: - They cover the City of Las Vegas only, not unincorporated Clark County, North Las Vegas or other cities in the valley. - The fee code covers both change-outs and repairs, so this is not a count of new systems. - The fee code first appears in the dataset in 2010 (15 permits that year), so the table starts with 2011, the first full year. Part of the rise may reflect changes in how permits are coded or pulled, not only more work. - Not every HVAC job is permitted. - The 2026 figure is a partial year.

7. A checklist for buyers, owners and inspectors

  1. Find the data plate on the outdoor unit (and the indoor coil or furnace). It lists the model, serial number and refrigerant type.
  2. Note the refrigerant. An R-22 system can legally keep running, but servicing depends on reclaimed refrigerant.8
  3. Estimate the age. Many manufacturers encode the manufacture date in the serial number; a licensed technician or home inspector can read it.
  4. Ask for records: permits, installation paperwork and maintenance history.
  5. Check the efficiency rating (SEER2 or SEER) on the paperwork or the AHRI certificate if the system is recent.
  6. Gas heat safety: Smell gas or hear a hiss? Leave the house right away. Don't use light switches, thermostats, appliance controls or anything that could spark. Once you're outside, call 911 and Southwest Gas (877-860-6020). If a CO alarm sounds, get everyone outside and call 911.

Methodology

FAQ

How can I tell how old my air conditioner is? Look at the data plate on the outdoor unit. The manufacture date is often encoded in the serial number, and the format varies by brand, so a licensed technician or home inspector can confirm it.

Do I have to replace an R-22 air conditioner? No. EPA does not require homeowners to replace working R-22 equipment. New R-22 is no longer produced or imported, so service relies on reclaimed or previously produced refrigerant.8

If my home was built before 2010, is my AC original? Not necessarily. Many valley homes have had their systems replaced. Build year only tells you the earliest an original system could date from.

What is SEER2? SEER2 is the seasonal efficiency rating used for central air conditioners and heat pumps since 2023. In Nevada, new split-system air conditioners under 45,000 Btu/h must be rated at least 14.3 SEER2.11

Why are some ZIP codes missing? The report covers 56 residential ZCTAs across the valley. Others can be added on request in a future update.

How often will this be updated? We plan to refresh the Census and NOAA data when new releases are available.

Suggested citation

Colton Air Conditioning. Las Vegas AC Age Report 2026: Home Age by ZIP Code, Summer Heat and Replacement Timing. November 2026. coltonmechanical.com/las-vegas-ac-age-report

Journalists, real-estate professionals and inspectors may reuse the charts and table with a credit and link to this page.

Questions about this report?

Call (702) 738-6976 · https://coltonmechanical.com Colton Air Conditioning · NV Lic. 0092120

Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, Table B25035 (Median Year Structure Built). https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT5Y2024.B25035 · Summary file: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25035.dat ↩↩↩↩↩↩

  2. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, Table B25034 (Year Structure Built). https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT5Y2024.B25034 · Summary file: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25034.dat ↩↩↩↩

  3. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, Table B25003 (Tenure). https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT5Y2024.B25003 · Summary file: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25003.dat ↩↩

  4. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, Table B25040 (House Heating Fuel). https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT5Y2024.B25040 · Summary file: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25040.dat ↩↩↩

  5. NOAA Regional Climate Centers, Applied Climate Information System (ACIS), station data for Harry Reid International Airport (USW00023169). https://data.rcc-acis.org/StnData · https://www.rcc-acis.org/ ↩↩↩↩

  6. U.S. Department of Energy, "Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps," direct final rule, 82 FR 1786 (Jan. 6, 2017), Table IV-16. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2017-01-06/html/2016-29992.htm ↩↩↩

  7. U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Saver: Tips on Saving Money and Energy in Your Home (2022). https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2022-08/energy-saver-guide-2022.pdf ↩↩

  8. U.S. EPA, "Homeowners and Consumers: Frequently Asked Questions" (HCFC phaseout). https://www.epa.gov/ods-phaseout/homeowners-and-consumers-frequently-asked-questions ↩↩↩↩↩

  9. U.S. EPA, "Residential Air Conditioning and the Phaseout of HCFC-22: What You Need to Know" (EPA-430-FR-20001, 2020). https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/documents/residential_air_conditioning_and_the_phaseout_of_hcfc-22_what_you_need_to_know_final_508.pdf ↩

  10. 40 CFR 82.15(g). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-82/subpart-A/section-82.15 ↩↩

  11. 10 CFR 430.32(c)(5)–(6). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-10/chapter-II/subchapter-D/part-430/subpart-C/section-430.32 ↩↩↩↩

  12. U.S. EPA, "Technology Transitions HFC Restrictions by Sector." https://www.epa.gov/hfcs/technology-transitions-hfc-restrictions-sector ↩

  13. U.S. EPA final rule, Federal Register Doc. 2026-10387 (published May 26, 2026; effective July 27, 2026). https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2026/05/26/2026-10387.html ↩↩↩↩

  14. City of Las Vegas Open Data, "Building Permits." https://opendataportal-lasvegas.opendata.arcgis.com/ · https://services1.arcgis.com/F1v0ufATbBQScMtY/arcgis/rest/services/OpenData_Building_Permits_/FeatureServer/0 ↩↩↩