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HVAC data for Clearwater, FL

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

Clearwater is a city in Pinellas County, FL, with an estimated 117,247 residents. The Census Bureau counts 61,123 housing units here, and the median home was built in 1978. Compared with the other 13 Tampa Bay outer ring places, Clearwater stands out on median year built: 1978 against a ring median of 1990, the 3rd oldest of the 14.

Two-story stucco house with a balcony, palm trees and flower beds
Stock photo, not our work and not a photo of Clearwater. Photo by Camilo via Pexels.

Key numbers

Population
117,24761,123 housing units
Median home built
197875.3% before 1990
Heated with electricity
92.6%of occupied homes
Cooling degree days
3,701a 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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1978

Median year a home in Clearwater was built

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

Clearwater at a glance

Population
117,247margin of error ±61ACS 5-Year B01003: Total Population, 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Housing units
61,123ACS 5-Year B25034: Year Structure Built, 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Median year home built
1978±1 yearsACS 5-Year B25035: Median Year Structure Built, 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Homes built before 1990
75.3%46,026 unitsACS 5-Year B25034: Year Structure Built, 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Homes built 2010 or later
6.5%4,000 unitsACS 5-Year B25034: Year Structure Built, 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Median home value (owner-occupied)
$361,300±$10,827ACS 5-Year B25077: Median Value (Dollars), 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Owner-occupied homes
58.6%29,287 of 49,998 occupied unitsACS 5-Year B25003: Tenure, 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Heated with electricity
92.6%46,302 homesACS 5-Year B25040: House Heating Fuel, 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Heated with utility gas
4.4%2,175 homesACS 5-Year B25040: House Heating Fuel, 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Heated with propane or other bottled gas
0.4%176 homesACS 5-Year B25040: House Heating Fuel, 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Heated with oil, coal, wood, solar, other or none
2.7%ACS 5-Year B25040: House Heating Fuel, 2020-2024; retrieved 2026-09-29
Cooling degree days per year (base 65°F)
3,701ST PETERSBURG INTL AP, FL US, 11.2 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)
447ST PETERSBURG INTL AP, FL US, 11.2 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
2APinellas 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 Clearwater, FL. Updated September 2026. Download the Tampa Bay outer ring city table (CSV)

How old the homes are

75.3% of Clearwater's homes were built before 1990, so most heating and cooling equipment here sits in an older housing stock.

The most common build decade is 1970 to 1979, with 16,343 homes (26.7% 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 Clearwater. Photo by Vladimir Gladkov via Pexels.
Year structure built, Clearwater housing units
  1. 2020 or later 529 homes
    0.9%
    2020 or later: 0.9% (529 homes)
  2. 2010 to 2019 3,471 homes
    5.7%
    2010 to 2019: 5.7% (3,471 homes)
  3. 2000 to 2009 5,721 homes
    9.4%
    2000 to 2009: 9.4% (5,721 homes)
  4. 1990 to 1999 5,374 homes
    8.8%
    1990 to 1999: 8.8% (5,374 homes)
  5. 1980 to 1989 11,864 homes
    19.4%
    1980 to 1989: 19.4% (11,864 homes)
  6. 1970 to 1979 16,343 homes
    26.7%
    1970 to 1979: 26.7% (16,343 homes)
  7. 1960 to 1969 7,959 homes
    13%
    1960 to 1969: 13% (7,959 homes)
  8. 1950 to 1959 7,157 homes
    11.7%
    1950 to 1959: 11.7% (7,157 homes)
  9. 1940 to 1949 1,427 homes
    2.3%
    1940 to 1949: 2.3% (1,427 homes)
  10. 1939 or earlier 1,278 homes
    2.1%
    1939 or earlier: 2.1% (1,278 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, Clearwater housing units
BuiltUnitsShare
2020 or later5290.9%
2010 to 20193,4715.7%
2000 to 20095,7219.4%
1990 to 19995,3748.8%
1980 to 198911,86419.4%
1970 to 197916,34326.7%
1960 to 19697,95913%
1950 to 19597,15711.7%
1940 to 19491,4272.3%
1939 or earlier1,2782.1%

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 Clearwater, 57,123 homes (93.5%) were built before 2010, so an original system still running is at least 17 years old, past both benchmarks.

Another 3,471 (5.7%) 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 529 homes built since 2020 (0.9%) 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 Clearwater
Main heating fuel, occupied homes in Clearwater: Electricity 92.6%, Utility gas 4.4%, Propane or other bottled gas 0.4%, Oil, coal, wood, solar, other or none 2.7%

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 Clearwater at 92.6% of occupied homes, followed by utility gas at 4.4%. Bottled gas heats 0.4% and other fuels 2.7%.

58.6% of occupied homes in Clearwater are owner-occupied and 41.4% are rented.

Climate

The nearest NOAA normals station is ST PETERSBURG INTL AP, FL US, 11.2 km from the city center. Its 1991 to 2020 normals are 3,701 cooling degree days and 447 heating degree days a year.

Cooling degree days outnumber heating degree days 8.3 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.

Clearwater compared with the Tampa Bay outer ring

Median year built: Clearwater against the other 13 places
  1. Apollo Beach
    2010
    Apollo Beach: 2010
  2. Riverview
    2006
    Riverview: 2006
  3. Wesley Chapel
    2006
    Wesley Chapel: 2006
  4. Land O' Lakes
    1999
    Land O' Lakes: 1999
  5. Brandon
    1993
    Brandon: 1993
  6. Spring Hill
    1993
    Spring Hill: 1993
  7. Lutz
    1990
    Lutz: 1990
  8. Zephyrhills
    1990
    Zephyrhills: 1990
  9. Plant City
    1989
    Plant City: 1989
  10. Lakeland
    1983
    Lakeland: 1983
  11. New Port Richey
    1980
    New Port Richey: 1980
  12. Clearwater
    1978
    Clearwater: 1978
  13. Largo
    1978
    Largo: 1978
  14. Pinellas Park
    1978
    Pinellas Park: 1978

Median year built. This is the measure on which Clearwater sits closest to either end of the Tampa Bay outer ring. Reference line: ring median, 1990.

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

Show every comparison as a table
Clearwater against the median of the 14 places in the Tampa Bay outer ring data set
MeasureClearwaterRing medianRank
Median year built1978199012 of 14 (newest first)
Share built 2010 or later6.5%13%12 of 14 (highest first)
Median home value$361,300$315,4006 of 14 (highest first)
Homes heated with electricity92.6%92.4%7 of 14 (highest first)
Cooling degree days3,7013,5935 of 14 (highest first)

Licensed HVAC contractors in Clearwater

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

By license type: 109 CAC, 11 CMC, 1 RA.

Years since the license was first issued, Clearwater HVAC licenses
  1. Under 5 years 37 licenses, 36 active
    31%
    Under 5 years: 31% (37 licenses, 36 active)
  2. 5 to 9 years 17 licenses, 17 active
    14%
    5 to 9 years: 14% (17 licenses, 17 active)
  3. 10 to 19 years 28 licenses, 27 active
    23%
    10 to 19 years: 23% (28 licenses, 27 active)
  4. 20 to 29 years 22 licenses, 18 active
    18%
    20 to 29 years: 18% (22 licenses, 18 active)
  5. 30 years or more 17 licenses, 14 active
    14%
    30 years or more: 14% (17 licenses, 14 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 Clearwater.

Show license years as a table
Years since the license was first issued, Clearwater HVAC licenses
Licensed forLicensesShareActive
Under 5 years3731%36
5 to 9 years1714%17
10 to 19 years2823%27
20 to 29 years2218%18
30 years or more1714%14

Electric utility and HVAC rebates in Clearwater

Duke Energy Florida serves Clearwater. 4 residential HVAC rebate programs are listed below.

Why we list it: Duke Energy Florida's territory map covers Pinellas County; portions may be served by other utilities. Source, checked 2026-09-30.

Duke Energy Florida HVAC rebate programs, checked 2026-09-30
ProgramAmountEquipmentSource
Home Energy Improvement: AC replacement$300Central AC replacing existing AC, min 16 SEER or 15.2 SEER2Duke Energy Florida; retrieved 2026-09-30
Home Energy Improvement: heat pump upgrade$500Heat pump replacing existing heat pump, min 16 SEER/9.0 HSPF or 15.2 SEER2/7.5 HSPF2Duke Energy Florida; retrieved 2026-09-30
Home Energy Improvement: strip-heat replacement (high efficiency)$600Heat pump replacing strip heat, min 16.0 SEER/9.0 HSPF or 15.2 SEER2/7.5 HSPF2Duke Energy Florida; retrieved 2026-09-30
Home Energy Improvement: strip-heat replacement (higher efficiency)$1,000Heat pump replacing strip heat, min 16.8 SEER/9.0 HSPF or 16 SEER2/7.5 HSPF2Duke Energy Florida; 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 Clearwater, FL in?

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

How old are the homes in Clearwater?

The median home in Clearwater was built in 1978. 75.3% of homes were built before 1990 and 6.5% in 2010 or later. Source: ACS 5-year 2020-2024, tables B25034 and B25035.

What do most Clearwater homes use for heating?

Electricity heats 92.6% of occupied homes in Clearwater; utility gas heats 4.4%. Source: ACS 5-year 2020-2024, table B25040.

How many cooling degree days does Clearwater get?

About 3,701 a year (base 65°F), measured at ST PETERSBURG INTL AP, FL US, 11.2 km away. Source: NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals.

What is the median home value in Clearwater?

$361,300 for owner-occupied homes (margin of error ±$10,827). Source: ACS 5-year 2020-2024, table B25077.

What share of Clearwater homes are owner-occupied?

58.6% of the 49,998 occupied housing units. Source: ACS 5-year 2020-2024, table B25003.

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

Duke Energy Florida serves Clearwater. Duke Energy Florida lists 4 residential HVAC rebate programs, paying $300 to $1,000 depending on the program. Terms change, so confirm on the program page before you buy equipment.

Sources: Duke Energy Florida HVAC rebate page; Service area basis: Duke Energy Florida's territory map covers Pinellas County; portions may be served by other utilities..

How many licensed HVAC businesses are in Clearwater?

104 businesses hold an active Florida air conditioning or mechanical contractor license with a Clearwater 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 Clearwater, A to Z; FL DBPR construction licensee extract (CONSTRUCTIONLICENSE_1.csv).

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

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 Clearwater?

Yes. The Florida Building Code (section 105.1) requires a permit to replace a mechanical system, and a central air conditioner is one. In Clearwater, the City of Clearwater Permits and Inspections handles it.

Its "Do I need a permit?" page requires one to "install, alter, repair, remove, convert, or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing system." 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); City of Clearwater: do I need a permit?; Florida Statutes 489.103.