According to the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), U.S. shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps totaled 763,443 units in July 2025, representing a 26.8% decrease compared to 1,043,420 units shipped in July 2024.
Shipments of central air conditioners dropped 32.9% year-on-year to 411,530 units, down from 613,216 units in July 2024. Air-source heat pump shipments also declined, though less sharply, falling 18.2% to 351,913 units compared to 430,204 units in the same month last year.
Cumulative shipments for the year to date showed a 7.3% decline for the combined category, totaling 5,340,584 units compared to 5,759,951 in the same period of 2024. Central air conditioners alone saw a 12.6% year-to-date decrease to 2,911,784 units. In contrast, shipments of air-source heat pumps remained essentially flat, increasing 0.1% to 2,428,800 units.
In terms of unit capacity, the steepest monthly declines were seen in the 16.5–21.9 kBTU range, down 49.1%, and the 22–26.9 kBTU range, down 33.6%. Shipments of larger commercial units (185–249.9 kBTU) rose 8.3% to 2,697 units, while the 900.0–999.9 kBTU category increased 12.8% to 97 units. Year-to-date, units under 16.5 kBTU rose 13.8% to 249,644, while most other size categories experienced declines.
AHRI reports that these statistics are based on data provided by member companies representing over 90% of relevant equipment shipments in North America. All shipment figures reflect units sold for use within the United States, including both domestically produced and imported equipment.