Heat map: Here's who's least likely to have air conditioning
Counties in Alaska reported the lowest levels of air conditioning access in the country. (Credit: Getty Images)
As temperatures rise across the United States, new data from the U.S. Census Bureau is shedding light on a hidden vulnerability in communities nationwide: access to air conditioning.
While more than 90% of U.S. households have air conditioning, national figures can obscure disparities at the local level, according to the Local Air Conditioning Estimates (LACE).
The experimental dataset provides air conditioning prevalence estimates at the state, county and census tract levels, offering policymakers a more detailed picture of which neighborhoods face the greatest risk during extreme heat events.
What they're saying:
"Getting data down to the neighborhood level is even more compelling as it can help state and local governments prepare for extreme heat events," the Census Bureau said.
Who’s least likely to have air conditioning?
According to the data, counties in Alaska reported the lowest levels of air conditioning access in the country, followed by counties in Hawaii and parts of northern California, areas where historically milder climates have reduced the need for home cooling systems.
The data also highlights how countywide averages can mask substantial differences within individual neighborhoods. In Salt Lake County, Utah, for example, only 6.6% of households lacked air conditioning overall. However, at the neighborhood and census tract level, that figure ranged from 0% to as high as 23.2%.
How much will it cost to stay cool this summer?
Dig deeper:
Last year, the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA) and the Center for Energy Poverty and Climate (CEPC) released its annual Summer Residential Cooling Outlook.
RELATED: Here's how much more you'll pay to keep cool this summer
Experts said that consumers would be paying the highest they ever had in 12 years to cool their home in the summer.
The average cost of electricity was projected to reach $784 in 2025, a 6.2% increase from $737 the previous year. After adjusting for inflation, the average family would see an increase of 4.2%, according to both agencies.
The Source: The information for this story was provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. This story was reported from Los Angeles. Previous FOX Local reporting contributed.