Cities / California / Merced
AC Replacement Cost in Merced, CA (2026)
A 3-ton central air conditioner, installed, before rebates
$4,150to$9,700
From a public baseline. How prices are made.
The low and the high are the spread of equipment and labor in the public baseline for a 3-ton central air conditioner in 2026.
California Rebates in 2026
Enrollment for 2026 is open. Open. Programs are subject to change or termination without prior notice.
TID Water & Power pays $500 per unit on a central air conditioner at Packaged: 15 SEER or higher. Split system: 15 SEER2 or higher.. After the rebate the typical price for a 3-ton central air conditioner is $6,400. Checked October 22, 2026. How to apply.
| Equipment | Minimum efficiency | Rebate |
|---|---|---|
| High efficiency central A/C | Packaged: 15 SEER or higher. Split system: 15 SEER2 or higher. | $500 per unit |
| Central heat pump | Packaged: 15 SEER or higher. Split system: 15 SEER2 or higher. | $1,000 per unit |
Every Program a Merced Homeowner Can Use
- Federal 25C credit gives no credit for a 2026 install. Ended.
- Residential Heating & Cooling Rebate pays up to $1,000 per unit. Open now.
- HEEHRA Phase I pays up to $8,000 per single-family household. Closed for 2026.
- San Fernando Valley Incentives pays up to $4,500 per single-family project. Open now.
- Single Family Heat Pump HVAC Incentives pays up to $1,000 per outdoor unit. Closed for 2026.
- G2E CENTRAL HEAT PUMP pays up to $1,500 per unit. Open now.
What It Costs
All 7 systems, low to high
| System | Low | Typical | High | Range drawn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central AC and gas furnace | ||||
| Central AC only, 3 ton 16 SEER | $4,150 | $6,900 | $9,700 | |
| Gas furnace only, 80,000 BTU 95% AFUE | $3,750 | $4,050 | $4,800 | |
| Heat pump, ducted | ||||
| 2-ton heat pump 15 SEER | $6,500 | $11,750 | $17,000 | |
| 3-ton heat pump 15 SEER | $7,450 | $13,350 | $19,250 | |
| 4-ton heat pump 15 SEER | $8,400 | $14,950 | $21,500 | |
| 5-ton heat pump 15 SEER | $9,400 | $16,550 | $23,700 | |
| Mini-split | ||||
| Mini-split, one zone, 12,000 BTU 20 SEER | $4,500 | $7,500 | $10,500 | |
Sources today: public baseline: NREL National Residential Efficiency Measures Database, 2024 release (read via hvacbase.org, 2026-10-19). Two more sources join as they arrive: Verified contractor ranges and homeowner-reported quotes. 2023 dollars, national. No metro factor is applied in this version. This city publishes no machine-readable permit feed, so no permit facts print. How prices are made.
Common Questions
How much does a 3-ton central air conditioner cost installed in Merced?
The installed range is $4,150 to $9,700, with a typical price of $6,900. This is the national public baseline in 2023 dollars. After the rebate the typical price for a 3-ton central air conditioner is $6,400.
What does the TID Water & Power central air conditioner rebate pay in 2026?
$500 per unit at Packaged: 15 SEER or higher. Split system: 15 SEER2 or higher., through Residential Heating & Cooling Rebate. Open. Programs are subject to change or termination without prior notice.
Is there a federal tax credit for a 3-ton central air conditioner in 2026?
The IRS allows the credit for property placed in service before December 31, 2025. A heat pump installed in 2026 gets no federal credit. The utility rebate is the money on the table in 2026.
What do the other systems cost in Merced?
A gas furnace runs $3,750 to $4,800, typical $4,050. A 3-ton heat pump runs $7,450 to $19,250, typical $13,350. A one-zone mini-split runs $4,500 to $10,500, typical $7,500. Each range is installed, before rebates.
What size and efficiency does the central air conditioner range assume?
The range is for the table row "Central AC only, 3 ton" at 16 SEER. The table on this page lists 7 systems from low to high, each with its own size and efficiency.
Contractors in Merced
A Verified contractor is one that published its terms here.
Range quarter 2026-Q4, updated October 22, 2026. Last change: First pages: furnace, AC and heat pump ranges from the public baseline, and the state programs read from each provider. Changelog. Source page: https://hvacvisit.com/california/merced/ac-replacement-cost. Cite a range with a link to the page it is on. Do not republish a page, a table or a dataset in full.