Climate Gaps: Disparities in residential air conditioning access across ten US metropolitan areas

Abstract

Due to climate change, human exposure to extreme urban heat is intensifying the need for residential cooling. We examine social disparities in access to residential air conditioning (AC) across ten United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). Using data from the 2021 Metropolitan American Housing Survey (n = 17,502) in multilevel multivariable models, we examine the correlation of AC (in)accessibility with housing unit-level race/ethnicity, household income, housing tenure, building type, and housing age, as well as MSA-level summer temperature. We advance previous studies by focusing on MSAs, using household-level data, and considering new covariates. Black and Hispanic vs. White householders are more likely to lack AC and more likely to have window vs. central AC. Asian households are less likely to have window vs. central AC than are Whites. Compared to high-income households, low-income and middle-income households are more likely to lack AC and to have window vs. central AC. Compared to single-family homeowners, single-family and multi-family renter-occupants are more likely to lack AC and to have window vs. central AC. Social groups at greatest risk of negative heat-related health outcomes also have worse AC access and lower-quality AC access in U.S. cities, which is likely attributable to systemic racism and economic marginalization.