Tennessee's recent heat wave pushed "feels like" temperatures above 110 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas, prompting warnings for residents to stay indoors, drink water, and use air conditioning whenever possible. But for tens of thousands of households across the state, that basic protection may simply be out of reach.
What's happening?
According to the Tennessee Lookout, a May U.S. Census Bureau estimate suggests that about 49,700 Tennessee households, or roughly 2% of all households in the state, may be without any air conditioning.
For Christina Joann Rainey, a 31-year-old single mother, those numbers describe her daily life. Rainey told the outlet that the temperature inside her home reached 82 degrees after the air conditioning system she inherited finally stopped working. She said a replacement would cost about $7,500, which she cannot afford.
Her options were limited as temperatures climbed. Rainey and her 15-year-old daughter sometimes sat in their car for relief or went to a nearby Dollar General, but leaving home also meant worrying about the pets they left behind — her Australian Shepherd and 13-year-old cat.
"I'm scared that if I leave, they could have heat stroke," she said.
The Census Bureau said the estimates are experimental. They were produced using 2019-2023 American Housing Survey data, the American Community Survey from the same period, and a machine-learning model designed to identify households that may lack AC, according to the Tennessee Lookout.
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Even so, the figures may still fail to capture families whose systems broke down more recently or households that have air conditioning but cannot afford to run it.
Why does it matter?
Extreme heat is one of the deadliest forms of severe weather, and access to air conditioning can mean the difference between discomfort and a medical emergency. When the National Weather Service warns that "fans may not be adequate," households without reliable cooling are left with few safe options.
The burden also falls hardest on people already under financial strain. A broken cooling system can bring repair costs in the thousands, added fuel expenses from using a car for relief, and pressure to buy food or drinks just to spend time somewhere cooler.
Even households with window units are not always fully protected. Rainey said her mother uses hers sparingly because summer electricity bills can become too expensive. The issue is not just whether an AC unit exists, but whether people can realistically afford to use it.
For older adults, children, pets, and people with health conditions, those tradeoffs can become dangerous very quickly.
What's being done?
Help is available in some parts of Tennessee, though access varies widely by county. The Tennessee Lookout reported that on one recent day, the Tennessee Emergency Management Authority's shelter map listed only nine cooling centers open statewide, most of them in Middle Tennessee. In Memphis, the Hospitality Hub announced limited hours for cooling centers.
Some counties do have programs aimed at getting cooling equipment directly into homes. In Davidson County, for example, the Metro Action Commission's Summer Cooling program provides free fans or air-conditioning units to eligible older residents, families with children under 6, and disabled residents with heat-sensitive medical conditions.
Qualifying households may also be able to get assistance through the Tennessee Valley Authority's Home Uplift program. The work can include sealing air leaks, adding duct insulation, and replacing older air conditioners — steps that may both avoid a large upfront replacement bill and reduce the electricity needed to cool a home.
For Rainey, a short-term fix still brought meaningful relief. A local technician lent her a window unit at no cost, easing some of the immediate strain as the dangerous heat continued.
A spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Health said residents should contact county governments or local emergency-management agencies to locate nearby resources.
After receiving the loaner unit, Rainey said: "I'm so thankful for that, because he didn't have to do that, and that was free of charge. I don't know what I would have done otherwise."
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