Cities / California / Merced
Heat Pump Cost in Merced, CA (2026)
A 3-ton heat pump, installed, before rebates
$7,450to$19,250
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 heat pump 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 $1,000 per unit on a ducted heat pump at Packaged: 15 SEER or higher. Split system: 15 SEER2 or higher.. After the rebate the typical price for a 3-ton heat pump is $12,350. Checked October 22, 2026. How to apply.
| Equipment | Minimum efficiency | Rebate |
|---|---|---|
| Central heat pump | Packaged: 15 SEER or higher. Split system: 15 SEER2 or higher. | $1,000 per unit |
| High efficiency central A/C | Packaged: 15 SEER or higher. Split system: 15 SEER2 or higher. | $500 per unit |
| Ductless mini split A/C or heat pump | A/C: ENERGY STAR certified. Heat pump: 15 SEER or greater. | $350 per ton |
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 heat pump cost installed in Merced?
The installed range is $7,450 to $19,250, with a typical price of $13,350. This is the national public baseline in 2023 dollars. After the rebate the typical price for a 3-ton heat pump is $12,350.
What does the TID Water & Power heat pump rebate pay in 2026?
$1,000 per unit at Packaged: 15 SEER or higher. Split system: 15 SEER2 or higher., through Residential Heating & Cooling Rebate. A central AC at the same efficiency gets $500. Open. Programs are subject to change or termination without prior notice.
Is the federal heat pump tax credit still available?
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 3-ton central air conditioner runs $4,150 to $9,700, typical $6,900. A gas furnace runs $3,750 to $4,800, typical $4,050. 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 heat pump range assume?
The range is for the table row "3-ton heat pump" at 15 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/heat-pump-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.