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HVAC data for Brandon, FL

Updated September 2026 · part of the Tampa Bay outer ring data set

Brandon is a census-designated place in Hillsborough County, FL, with an estimated 119,767 residents. The Census Bureau counts 48,953 housing units here, and the median home was built in 1993. Compared with the other 13 Tampa Bay outer ring places, Brandon stands out on cooling degree days: 3,848 against a ring median of 3,593, the 2nd highest of the 14.

Low pastel house with a tile roof and a window air conditioner, palms and a tall building behind
Stock photo, not our work and not a photo of Brandon. Photo by Sami Abdullah via Pexels.

Key numbers

Population
119,76748,953 housing units
Median home built
199344.7% before 1990
Heated with electricity
91.2%of occupied homes
Cooling degree days
3,848a year, base 65°F

Sources: ACS 5-Year B01003: Total Population, 2020-2024; ACS 5-Year B25035: Median Year Structure Built, 2020-2024; ACS 5-Year B25040: House Heating Fuel, 2020-2024; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, Annual/Seasonal (ANN-HTDD-NORMAL, ANN-CLDD-NORMAL), 1991-2020.

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1993

Median year a home in Brandon was built

Source: ACS 5-Year B25035: Median Year Structure Built, 2020-2024.

Brandon at a glance

Population
119,767margin of error ±3,719ACS 5-Year B01003: Total Population, 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Housing units
48,953ACS 5-Year B25034: Year Structure Built, 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Median year home built
1993±2 yearsACS 5-Year B25035: Median Year Structure Built, 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Homes built before 1990
44.7%21,882 unitsACS 5-Year B25034: Year Structure Built, 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Homes built 2010 or later
14.1%6,892 unitsACS 5-Year B25034: Year Structure Built, 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Median home value (owner-occupied)
$339,000±$6,552ACS 5-Year B25077: Median Value (Dollars), 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Owner-occupied homes
56.2%25,805 of 45,896 occupied unitsACS 5-Year B25003: Tenure, 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Heated with electricity
91.2%41,835 homesACS 5-Year B25040: House Heating Fuel, 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Heated with utility gas
5.9%2,708 homesACS 5-Year B25040: House Heating Fuel, 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Heated with propane or other bottled gas
1%437 homesACS 5-Year B25040: House Heating Fuel, 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Heated with oil, coal, wood, solar, other or none
2%ACS 5-Year B25040: House Heating Fuel, 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Cooling degree days per year (base 65°F)
3,848PLANT CITY, FL US, 18.4 km awayNOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, Annual/Seasonal (ANN-HTDD-NORMAL, ANN-CLDD-NORMAL), 1991-2020; retrieved 2026-09-29
Heating degree days per year (base 65°F)
436PLANT CITY, FL US, 18.4 km awayNOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, Annual/Seasonal (ANN-HTDD-NORMAL, ANN-CLDD-NORMAL), 1991-2020; retrieved 2026-09-29
IECC climate zone
2AHillsborough County; Hot-HumidIECC and Building America climate zones by U.S. county, IECC 2012/2015-era county assignments (gist last updated 2026-03); retrieved 2026-09-29

Housing, heating and climate figures for Brandon, FL. Updated September 2026. Download the Tampa Bay outer ring city table (CSV)

How old the homes are

Brandon has a mixed housing stock: 44.7% of homes predate 1990 and 14.1% date from 2010 or later.

The most common build decade is 1980 to 1989, with 10,619 homes (21.7% of the total).

A beautiful suburban home with a well-maintained green lawn and parked car, highlighting residential comfort
Stock photo, not our work and not a photo of Brandon. Photo by Vladimir Gladkov via Pexels.
Year structure built, Brandon housing units
  1. 2020 or later 664 homes
    1.4%
    2020 or later: 1.4% (664 homes)
  2. 2010 to 2019 6,228 homes
    12.7%
    2010 to 2019: 12.7% (6,228 homes)
  3. 2000 to 2009 10,378 homes
    21.2%
    2000 to 2009: 21.2% (10,378 homes)
  4. 1990 to 1999 9,784 homes
    20%
    1990 to 1999: 20% (9,784 homes)
  5. 1980 to 1989 10,619 homes
    21.7%
    1980 to 1989: 21.7% (10,619 homes)
  6. 1970 to 1979 7,720 homes
    15.8%
    1970 to 1979: 15.8% (7,720 homes)
  7. 1960 to 1969 2,422 homes
    4.9%
    1960 to 1969: 4.9% (2,422 homes)
  8. 1950 to 1959 858 homes
    1.8%
    1950 to 1959: 1.8% (858 homes)
  9. 1940 to 1949 85 homes
    0.2%
    1940 to 1949: 0.2% (85 homes)
  10. 1939 or earlier 195 homes
    0.4%
    1939 or earlier: 0.4% (195 homes)

Share of housing units, by decade built

Source: ACS 5-Year B25034: Year Structure Built, 2020-2024.

Show year built as a table
Year structure built, Brandon housing units
BuiltUnitsShare
2020 or later6641.4%
2010 to 20196,22812.7%
2000 to 200910,37821.2%
1990 to 19999,78420%
1980 to 198910,61921.7%
1970 to 19797,72015.8%
1960 to 19692,4224.9%
1950 to 19598581.8%
1940 to 1949850.2%
1939 or earlier1950.4%

How long the equipment lasts: ENERGY STAR says to consider replacing a heat pump or air conditioner once it is more than 10 years old. InterNACHI's Florida chart lists a central air conditioner at 5 to 12 years and calls its figures guidelines, not guarantees. In Brandon, 42,061 homes (85.9%) were built before 2010, so an original system still running is at least 17 years old, past both benchmarks.

Another 6,228 (12.7%) were built from 2010 to 2019, where an original system is 7 to 16 years old and crosses the 10-year line partway through that decade. The 664 homes built since 2020 (1.4%) are under 7 years old. The Census does not record replacements, so these are ages of original equipment, not a count of failing systems.

Sources: ENERGY STAR: When is it time to replace?; InterNACHI Estimated Life Expectancy Chart for Florida Homes; retrieved 2026-09-30. Home counts are the build-year bins above.

What heats the homes

Stock photo, not our work. Photo by Jan van der Wolf via Pexels.

Main heating fuel, occupied homes in Brandon
Main heating fuel, occupied homes in Brandon: Electricity 91.2%, Utility gas 5.9%, Propane or other bottled gas 1%, Oil, coal, wood, solar, other or none 2%

Source: ACS 5-Year B25040: House Heating Fuel, 2020-2024. Electricity includes heat pumps and electric resistance heat; the Census does not separate them.

Electricity is the most common heating fuel in Brandon at 91.2% of occupied homes, followed by utility gas at 5.9%. Bottled gas heats 1% and other fuels 2%.

56.2% of occupied homes in Brandon are owner-occupied and 43.8% are rented.

Climate

The nearest NOAA normals station is PLANT CITY, FL US, 18.4 km from the city center. Its 1991 to 2020 normals are 3,848 cooling degree days and 436 heating degree days a year.

Cooling degree days outnumber heating degree days 8.8 to 1. Across the 14 places in the Tampa Bay outer ring data set, cooling degree days run from 3,149 (Land O' Lakes) to 3,928 (Lutz).

Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, Annual/Seasonal (ANN-HTDD-NORMAL, ANN-CLDD-NORMAL), 1991-2020. Degree days belong to the station, not to the city.

Brandon compared with the Tampa Bay outer ring

Cooling degree days: Brandon against the other 13 places
  1. Lutz
    3,928
    Lutz: 3,928
  2. Brandon
    3,848
    Brandon: 3,848
  3. Plant City
    3,848
    Plant City: 3,848
  4. Lakeland
    3,723
    Lakeland: 3,723
  5. Clearwater
    3,701
    Clearwater: 3,701
  6. Largo
    3,701
    Largo: 3,701
  7. Pinellas Park
    3,701
    Pinellas Park: 3,701
  8. New Port Richey
    3,486
    New Port Richey: 3,486
  9. Spring Hill
    3,478
    Spring Hill: 3,478
  10. Apollo Beach
    3,477
    Apollo Beach: 3,477
  11. Riverview
    3,477
    Riverview: 3,477
  12. Land O' Lakes
    3,149
    Land O' Lakes: 3,149
  13. Wesley Chapel
    3,149
    Wesley Chapel: 3,149
  14. Zephyrhills
    3,149
    Zephyrhills: 3,149

Cooling degree days. This is the measure on which Brandon sits closest to either end of the Tampa Bay outer ring. Reference line: ring median, 3,593.

Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, Annual/Seasonal (ANN-HTDD-NORMAL, ANN-CLDD-NORMAL), 1991-2020.

Show every comparison as a table
Brandon against the median of the 14 places in the Tampa Bay outer ring data set
MeasureBrandonRing medianRank
Median year built199319905 of 14 (newest first)
Share built 2010 or later14.1%13%6 of 14 (highest first)
Median home value$339,000$315,4007 of 14 (highest first)
Homes heated with electricity91.2%92.4%10 of 14 (highest first)
Cooling degree days3,8483,5932 of 14 (highest first)

Licensed HVAC contractors in Brandon

Stock photo, not our work. Photo by Pixabay via Pexels.

By license type: 49 CAC, 12 CMC, 1 RM.

Years since the license was first issued, Brandon HVAC licenses
  1. Under 5 years 25 licenses, 25 active
    40%
    Under 5 years: 40% (25 licenses, 25 active)
  2. 5 to 9 years 13 licenses, 13 active
    21%
    5 to 9 years: 21% (13 licenses, 13 active)
  3. 10 to 19 years 9 licenses, 8 active
    15%
    10 to 19 years: 15% (9 licenses, 8 active)
  4. 20 to 29 years 10 licenses, 9 active
    16%
    20 to 29 years: 16% (10 licenses, 9 active)
  5. 30 years or more 5 licenses, 4 active
    8%
    30 years or more: 8% (5 licenses, 4 active)

Number of licenses, by years since first issued

Source: FL DBPR construction licensee extract (CONSTRUCTIONLICENSE_1.csv); retrieved 2026-10-05. Counts licenses, not companies: one business can hold several. Status and license-type codes are DBPR's own (definitions); active means Current and Active. See the A-to-Z list of licensed HVAC businesses in Brandon.

Show license years as a table
Years since the license was first issued, Brandon HVAC licenses
Licensed forLicensesShareActive
Under 5 years2540%25
5 to 9 years1321%13
10 to 19 years915%8
20 to 29 years1016%9
30 years or more58%4

Electric utility and HVAC rebates in Brandon

Tampa Electric serves Brandon. 2 residential HVAC rebate programs are listed below.

Why we list it: Tampa Electric's service area is Hillsborough County (2,000 square miles of Hillsborough and parts of Pasco, Pinellas and Polk). Source, checked 2026-09-30.

Tampa Electric HVAC rebate programs, checked 2026-09-30
ProgramAmountEquipmentSource
Heating & Cooling Program: high-efficiency tier$550 for SEER 17.0 / SEER2 16.2Ducted heat pump; straight-cool with new natural-gas furnace (propane does not qualify); geothermal (15.0 EER). Ductless mini splits not eligible.Tampa Electric; retrieved 2026-09-30
Heating & Cooling Program: standard tier$40 for SEER 16.0 / SEER2 15.2Ducted heat pump; straight-cool with new natural-gas furnace (propane does not qualify); geothermal (14.0 EER). Ductless mini splits not eligible.Tampa Electric; retrieved 2026-09-30

Utility service is mapped city by city; a city can have other providers than the ones shown. Confirm eligibility on the utility's page before buying.

Frequently asked questions

Stock photo, not our work. Photo by Johannes Belz via Pexels.

What IECC climate zone is Brandon, FL in?

Brandon is in IECC climate zone 2A (Hillsborough County, Hot-Humid). Source: DOE/PNNL county climate zones.

How old are the homes in Brandon?

The median home in Brandon was built in 1993. 44.7% of homes were built before 1990 and 14.1% in 2010 or later. Source: ACS 5-year 2020-2024, tables B25034 and B25035.

What do most Brandon homes use for heating?

Electricity heats 91.2% of occupied homes in Brandon; utility gas heats 5.9%. Source: ACS 5-year 2020-2024, table B25040.

How many cooling degree days does Brandon get?

About 3,848 a year (base 65°F), measured at PLANT CITY, FL US, 18.4 km away. Source: NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals.

What is the median home value in Brandon?

$339,000 for owner-occupied homes (margin of error ±$6,552). Source: ACS 5-year 2020-2024, table B25077.

What share of Brandon homes are owner-occupied?

56.2% of the 45,896 occupied housing units. Source: ACS 5-year 2020-2024, table B25003.

Who supplies electricity in Brandon, and what HVAC rebates are there?

Tampa Electric serves Brandon. Tampa Electric lists 2 residential HVAC rebate programs, paying $40 to $550 depending on the program. Terms change, so confirm on the program page before you buy equipment.

Sources: Tampa Electric HVAC rebate page; Service area basis: Tampa Electric's service area is Hillsborough County (2,000 square miles of Hillsborough and parts of Pasco, Pinellas and Polk)..

How many licensed HVAC businesses are in Brandon?

57 businesses hold an active Florida air conditioning or mechanical contractor license with a Brandon business address in the state's license file (checked 2026-10-05). One business can hold several licenses. The list is A to Z, with no ratings or rankings.

Sources: Licensed HVAC contractors in Brandon, A to Z; FL DBPR construction licensee extract (CONSTRUCTIONLICENSE_1.csv).

How do I check an HVAC contractor's license in Brandon?

Search the business name or license number on the Florida DBPR license lookup. Confirm the status is current and active, that the license is an air conditioning (CAC or RA) or mechanical (CMC or RM) license, and read the expiration date.

Certified licenses (CAC, CMC) are valid statewide; registered licenses (RA, RM) are valid only in the local areas where they are registered (F.S. 489.105). Ask for the license number in writing before work starts.

Sources: Florida DBPR license lookup; DBPR license status and class codes.

What does a new AC system cost in Florida?

Homeowners reporting Florida jobs gave a median of $12,000 for a full system replacement, AC or heat pump. The middle half of reports fall between $9,400 and $15,600.

That is 55 reports, a small sample, and price moves with tonnage, ductwork and brand. Source: HVACPro analysis of 55 homeowner-reported quotes and invoices in public Reddit posts, 2025-01-01 to 2026-09-29.

Do I need a permit to replace my AC in Brandon?

Yes. The Florida Building Code (section 105.1) requires a permit to replace a mechanical system, and a central air conditioner is one. In Brandon, Hillsborough County Development Services handles it.

Its residential fee schedule lists a $130.00 trade permit for "HVAC Equal Change Outs" (effective October 5, 2024), and the county's list of work exempt from permits does not include replacing a whole unit. A licensed contractor can apply for the permit for you; if a homeowner applies instead, Florida law requires the owner to sign the application personally (F.S. 489.103(7)). Call the department for the current fee and steps.

Checked 2026-09-30.

Sources: Florida Building Code, Building, section 105.1 (2023, 8th edition); Hillsborough County building permit fee schedule; Hillsborough County work exempt from permits; Florida Statutes 489.103.