SupplyHouse's New HVAC Stress Report Highlights Top Service Demand Cities
Key Highlights
- Proper HVAC sizing, installation, and maintenance are crucial in high-stress markets to ensure system durability and efficiency.
- Climate factors significantly influence service calls, replacement cycles, and equipment selection for HVAC contractors.
- Regions with extreme weather require durable systems and proactive maintenance to mitigate faster wear and operational challenges.
MELVILLE, New York — Minneapolis ranks as the most weather-stressed U.S. city for HVAC systems, according to a new HVAC Stress Index from SupplyHouse that measured climate-driven equipment demand across 98 metro areas.
The report analyzed six years of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data from 2020 through 2025. Rankings were based on four factors tied to HVAC workload: heating degree days, cooling degree days, days at or above 90° F, and days at or below 32° F.
Minneapolis placed first due to the highest annual heating demand in the study at 7,850 heating degree days and an average of 142 freezing days per year. Denver ranked second, driven largely by cold-weather demand, while McAllen, Texas, ranked third because of sustained cooling pressure and extreme heat.
McAllen recorded the most days above 90 degrees, averaging 200.7 annually. That means cooling systems operate under heavy load for more than half the year. Miami led the nation in cooling degree days at 4,646, followed by McAllen and Cape Coral, Florida.
On the heating side, Minneapolis led the rankings, followed by Spokane, Washington, and Denver. The report noted that these markets place long seasonal demands on furnaces and heat pumps with limited downtime.
At the other end of the rankings, San Francisco placed last at No. 98, making it the least HVAC-stressed major city studied. The city averaged fewer than five extreme heat days annually and zero freezing days.
For HVAC contractors, the findings highlight how local climate conditions can influence service calls, maintenance schedules, replacement demand, and equipment selection. Systems in high-stress markets often run longer, cycle more frequently, and experience faster wear.
The report noted that proper sizing, quality installation, preventive maintenance, and durable equipment become more critical in regions where heating or cooling systems operate near peak demand for extended periods.
The methodology weighted heating degree days and cooling degree days at 30% each, with extreme heat days and freezing days each accounting for 20% of the final score. Data was sourced from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration climate divisions and station records.