A 3-ton central air conditioner in West Virginia costs about $64.80 in July and $199 a year at 15.58¢/kWh; an 8,000 BTU window unit about $12.67 in July.
At 15.58¢/kWh — West Virginia average, Jan–Aug 2026 (EIA). That is 14% below the U.S. average of 18.19¢.
| Efficiency | Per year | vs yours |
|---|---|---|
| SEER2 13.4 (min · North) | $199 | — |
| SEER2 14.3 (min · South) | $187 | −$12.53 |
| SEER2 15.2 (ENERGY STAR) | $175 | −$23.57 |
| SEER2 17 (ES average) | $157 | −$42.15 |
| Month | Full-load hours | 3-ton central | 8,000 BTU window |
|---|---|---|---|
| March | 1 | $0.52 | $0.10 |
| April | 2 | $0.77 | $0.15 |
| May | 33 | $13.94 | $2.73 |
| June | 92 | $38.47 | $7.52 |
| July | 155 | $64.80 | $12.67 |
| August | 132 | $55.25 | $10.80 |
| September | 52 | $21.94 | $4.29 |
| October | 8 | $3.36 | $0.66 |
DOE's room-AC test assumes 750 full-load hours a year for a typical U.S. home. We scale it by West Virginia's population-weighted cooling degree days (771 ÷ 1,216) and spread it over the months the same way: 476 hours a year. Your thermostat setting and insulation move this a lot — switch the calculator to your own hours if you know them.
3 tons = 36,000 BTU/h ÷ SEER2 13.4 = 2,687 W. × 476 h = 1,278 kWh × 15.58¢ = $199.
The full method, material data and tips are on the main air conditioner cost calculator page.