A technician services a central air conditioning unit. Summer temperatures in the San Joaquin Valley can climb to over 100 degrees, but more than 10% of homes in the region don’t have access to any sort of air conditioning. Photo used under Creative Commons License CC-BY-NC 4.0.

This summer, like most summers in the San Joaquin Valley, is poised to drop a hot hammer on the region, bringing dozens of days in which high daytime temperatures will top 100 degrees.

And The Old Farmers Almanac predicts that the summer of 2026 “will be hotter and drier than normal, with the hottest periods in early and late June and mid- to late August.”

But data released recently by the U.S. Census Bureau indicates that more than 10% of Valley households will confront those hot days without any air conditioning, including evaporative or “swamp” coolers.

The Census Bureau’s experimental Local Air Conditioning Estimates represent an amalgam of data from two separate agency surveys, the American Community Survey and the American Housing Survey. The data, broken down to the Census tract level, offers a look at the discrepancies between those households that have some form of air conditioning and those who do not.

The LACE data indicates that about 13,500 Valley households from San Joaquin County in the north to Kern County in the south are without air conditioning, or just over 10% of all houses and apartments in the region.

An analysis of the Census data indicates only a weak correlation between the availability of air conditioning and poverty in the region. Some Census tracts with high poverty rates, 30% to 40% or higher, have a relatively low percentage of households – 5% or lower – without air conditioning.

Some of those Census tracts are in foothill or mountain areas flanking the Valley, or where breezes coming through the Sacramento/San Joaquin River delta, may keep daytime temperatures a bit cooler than much of the Valley.

But the figures also don’t account for how many families living in poverty face hardship in their ability to pay for electricity to run power-hungry air-conditioning units.

Staying safe in a heat wave

California and the San Joaquin Valley don’t exactly experience much of the deadly weather that can affect other parts of the U.S., including hurricanes, tornadoes and others.

But extreme heat can be a killer, deadlier than any other weather hazard, according to the state Department of Public Health. A mortality database maintained by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that since 2018, 67 people in the eight-county Valley region have died from hyperthermia, or exposure to excessive natural heat.

Children, senior citizens, people who work outside, those with chronic diseases, women who are pregnant, and the homeless are at particular risk.

Heat-related illnesses can range from heat cramps and heat exhaustion to heat stroke, with symptoms including excessive sweating, muscle cramps or weakness, nausea or vomiting, and headache or dizziness.

The California Department of Public Health advises checking in on family and neighbors who may need help, paying attention to weather forecasts, drinking plenty of water, limiting time outside in the heat and staying indoors or visiting cooling centers.

Finding a place to cool off

For people who have no access to air conditioning, cities, counties and communities across the region collectively offer almost 140 cooling centers – community centers, library branches and other locations – that are open to the public when temperatures soar.

Those locations, by county, are:

Fresno County

  • Fresno: Maxie L. Parks Community Center, 1802 E California Ave. (open when high temperatures are forecast to be at least 105 degrees)
  • Fresno: Mosqueda Community Center, 4670 E. Butler Ave. (open when high temperatures are forecast to be at least 105 degrees)
  • Fresno: Ted C. Wills Community Center, 770 N. San Pablo Ave. (open when high temperatures are forecast to be at least 105 degrees)
  • Fresno: Dickey Youth Development Center, 1515 E. Divisadero St.
  • Fresno: Einstein Neighborhood Center, 3566 E. Dakota Ave.
  • Fresno: El Dorado Neighborhood Center, 1343 E. Barstow Ave.
  • Fresno: Fink-White Neighborhood Center, 535 S. Trinity St.
  • Fresno: Frank H. Ball Neighborhood Center, 760 Mayor Ave.
  • Fresno: Highway City Neighborhood Center, 5140 N. State St.
  • Fresno: Holmes Neighborhood Center, 212 S. First St.
  • Fresno: Inspiration Park, 5770 W Gettysburg Ave.
  • Fresno: Lafayette Neighborhood Center, 1516 E. Princeton Ave.
  • Fresno: Mary Ella Brown Community Center, 1350 E. Annadale Ave.
  • Fresno: Melody Neighborhood Center, 5935 E. Shields Ave.
  • Fresno: Pinedale Community Center, 7170 N. San Pablo Ave.
  • Fresno: Quigley Neighborhood Center, 808 W. Dakota Ave.
  • Fresno: Romain Neighborhood Center, 745 N. First St.
  • Fresno: Sunset Neighborhood Center, 1345 W. Eden Ave.
  • Biola: Biola Community Services District, 4925 N. 7th St.
  • Clovis: Sierra Vista Mall, 1050 Shaw Ave.
  • Coalinga: Coalinga-Huron Recreation District (Fitness Center), 191 E. Forest Ave. (minimum 105 degrees)
  • Fowler: Fowler City Hall, 128 S. 5th St.
  • Huron: Huron Police Department Sky Room, 17051 12th St.
  • Kerman: Scout Hut in Kerckoff Park (off 4th Street) 15061 W. G St.
  • Kerman: Kerman City Hall, 15101 W. Kearney Blvd.
  • Kerman: Kerman Senior Center, 720 S. 8th St.
  • Kerman: Kerman Library, 15081 W. Kearney Blvd.
  • Kingsburg: Kingsburg Senior Center, 1450 Ellis St.
  • Mendota: Mendota City Hall Council Chambers, 643 Quince St. (minimum 100 degrees)
  • Orange Cove: Orange Cove Senior Center, 699 6th St.
  • Parlier: Parlier Senior Center, 690 S Newmark Ave. (minimum 100 degrees)
  • Reedley: Sierra View’s Cooling Center, 1155 E Springfield Ave. (minimum 105 degrees)
  • Sanger: Sanger City Annex Building, 1789 Jensen Ave. (minimum 105 degrees)
  • Selma: Selma Police Department Community Room, 2055 Third St.

Kern County

  • Arvin: Arvin Community Center, 800 Walnut Drive (minimum 105 degrees)
  • Bakersfield: East Bakersfield Veterans Building, 2101 Ridge Road  (minimum 105 degrees)
  • California City: Strata Center, 10350 Heather Ave. (minimum 108 degrees)
  • Frazier Park: Frazier Park Recreation Building, 3801 Park Drive  (minimum 93 degrees)
  • Lake Isabella: Kern River Valley Senior Center, 6405 Lake Isabella Blvd.  (minimum 105 degrees)
  • Maricopa: Gusher Hall, 271 California St.  (minimum 105 degrees)
  • Rosamond: Hummel Community Building, 2500 20th St. (minimum 108 degrees)
  • Shafter: Shafter Senior Center, 505 Sunset Ave. (minimum 105 degrees)
  • Taft: Taft Community Center Activity Building, 500 Cascade Place. (minimum 105 degrees)

Kings County

  • Armona: Armona Branch Library, 11115 C St.
  • Armona: Armona Senior Center, 10953 14th Ave.
  • Corcoran: Corcoran Branch Library, 1001 Chittenden Ave. (open all day over 100 degrees)
  • Corcoran: Recreation Association of Corcoran (RAC Center), 900 Dairy Ave. (minimum 105 degrees for 2 days and nighttime temperatures above 80 degrees)
  • Hanford: Kings Gospel Mission (men only), 801 W. 7th St. (open all day over 100 degrees)
  • Hanford: Longfield Center, 560 S. Douty St. (minimum 105 degrees for 2 days and nighttime temperatures above 80 degrees)
  • Hanford: Hanford Branch Library, 401 N. Douty St.
  • Kettleman City: Kettleman City Branch Library, 104 Becky Pease St.
  • Lemoore: Lemoore Recreation Center, 721 Cinnamon Drive (minimum 105 degrees for 2 days and nighttime temperatures above 80 degrees)
  • Lemoore: Lemoore Branch Library, 457 C St.

Madera County

  • Madera: Madera County Sheriff’s Headquarters, 2725 Falcon Drive.
  • Madera: Madera Police Department, 330 S. C St.
  • Madera: Pan American Community Center, 703 Sherwood Way (daily temperature over 105 degrees, or 100 degrees two days in a row)
  • Oakhurst: Madera County Sheriff’s Substation, 48267 Liberty Drive.

Merced County

  • Atwater: Atwater Police Department, 750 Bellevue Road.
  • Atwater: Atwater Branch Library, 1600 Third St.
  • Delhi: Delhi Branch Library, 16881 W. Schendel Road.
  • Dos Palos: Dos Palos City Hall, 2174 Blossom St.
  • Dos Palos: Dos Palos Police Department, 1546 Golden Gate Ave.
  • Dos Palos: Jerry O’Banion Dos Palos Library Branch, 951 Center Ave.
  • Gustine: Gustine Library Branch, 205 6th St.
  • Hilmar: Hilmar Library Branch, 20041 W. Falke St.
  • Le Grand: Le Grand Library Branch, 12949 Le Grand Road
  • Livingston: Livingston Library Branch, 1212 Main St.
  • Livingston: Livingston Police Department, 1446 C St.
  • Los Banos: Los Banos Library Branch, 1312 Seventh St.
  • Los Banos: Mercy Springs Church of the Nazarene, 1248 Santa Barbara Drive
  • Merced: Merced Library Branch, 2100 O St.
  • Planada: Planada Community Center, 9167 Stanford Ave.
  • Santa Nella: Santa Nella Library Branch, 29188 W. Centinella Ave.
  • Snelling: Snelling Library Branch, 15915 N. Highway 59

San Joaquin County

  • Escalon: Escalon Branch Library, 1540 Second St.
  • Lathrop: Lathrop Branch Library, 450 Spartan Way.
  • Linden: Linden Branch Library, 19059 E. Main St.
  • Lodi: Lodi Community Center, 415 S. Sacramento St.
  • Manteca: Manteca Branch Library, 320 W. Center St.
  • Mountain House: Mountain House Branch Library, 250 E. Main St.
  • Ripon: Ripon Branch Library, 333 W. Main St.
  • Stockton: Cesar Chavez Central Library, 605 N. El Dorado St.
  • Stockton: Maya Angelou Branch Library, 2324 Pock Lane.
  • Stockton: Weston Ranch Branch Library, 1453 W. French Camp Road.
  • Stockton: Margaret Troke Branch Library, 502 W. Benjamin Holt Drive.
  • Stockton: Fair Oaks Branch Library, 2370 E. Main St.
  • Stockton: Stribley Micro Library, 1760 E. Sonora St.
  • Stockton: Arnold Rue Micro Library, 5758 Lorraine Ave.
  • Stockton: Van Buskirk Micro Library, 734 Houston Ave.
  • Stockton: Kennedy Community Center, 2800 S. D St.
  • Stockton: Boggs Tract Community Center, 533 S. Los Angeles Ave.
  • Stockton: Northeast Community Center, 2885 E. Harding Way
  • Stockton: Taft Community Center, 389 W. Downing Ave.
  • Stockton: Garden Acres Community Center, 607 Bird Ave.
  • Thornton: Thornton Branch Library, 26341 N. Thornton Road
  • Thornton: Thornton Community Center, 26675 N. Sacramento Blvd.
  • Tracy: Tracy Branch Library, 20 E. Eaton Ave.
  • Tracy: Larch Clover Community Center, 11157 W. Larch Road

Stanislaus County

  • Ceres: Ceres Community Center, 2701 4th St.
  • Ceres: Ceres Public Library, 2250 Magnolia St.
  • Denair: Denair Public Library, 4801 Kersey Road.
  • Empire: Empire Public Library, 98 I St.
  • Hughson: Hughson Public Library, 2412 3rd St.
  • Hughson: Hughson Senior Center, 2307 4th St.
  • Modesto: Airport Lobby, 617 Airport Way
  • Modesto: Modesto Senior Center, 211 Bodem St.
  • Modesto: Stanislaus Regional Transit Center, 1001 9th St.
  • Newman: Newman Public Library, 1305 Kern St.
  • Newman: Newman Family Resource Center, 1300 Patchett Drive.
  • Newman: Newman Teen Center, 831 Hardin Road.
  • Oakdale: Oakdale Public Library, 151 S. 1st Ave.
  • Patterson: Patterson City Hall Lobby, 1 Plaza Circle.
  • Patterson: Patterson Public Library, 46 N. Salado Ave.
  • Riverbank: Riverbank Community Center, 3600 Santa Fe St.
  • Riverbank: Riverbank Community Pool, 6601 7th St.
  • Riverbank: Riverbank Public Library, 3442 Santa Fe St.
  • Salida: Salida Public Library, 4835 Sisk Road.
  • Turlock: Roger K. Fall Transit Center, 1418 N. Golden State Blvd.
  • Turlock: Turlock Public Library, 550 Minaret Ave.
  • Waterford: Waterford City Hall, 101 E St.

Tulare County

  • Alpaugh: Alpaugh Public Library, 3816 Avenue 54.
  • Earlimart: Earlimart Public Library, 780 E Washington St.
  • Exeter: Exeter Public Library, 230 E Chestnut St.
  • Farmersville: Farmersville Public Library, 623 N. Avery Ave.
  • Ivanhoe: Ivanhoe Public Library, 15964 Heather Ave.
  • Lindsay: Lindsay Public Library, 157 N Mirage Ave.
  • London: London Public Library, 5711 Avenue 378.
  • Orosi: Orosi Public Library, 12646 Avenue 416.
  • Pixley: Pixley Public Library, 927 Center St.
  • Porterville: Porterville City Hall, 291 N Main St.
  • Porterville: Porterville Transit Center, 61 W Oak Ave.
  • Porterville: Porterville City Library, 50 W. Olive Ave.
  • Strathmore: Strathmore Public Library, 19646 Road 230.
  • Three Rivers: Three Rivers Public Library, 42052 Eggers Dr.
  • Tipton: Tipton Public Library, 301 E Woods Ave.
  • Visalia: Visalia Public Library, 200 W Oak Ave.
  • Woodlake: Woodlake Public Library, 400 W Whitney Ave.

Tim Sheehan is the Health Care Reporting Fellow at the nonprofit Central Valley Journalism Collaborative. The fellowship is supported by a grant from the Fresno State Institute for Media and Public Trust. CVJC research assistant Chloe Lyons contributed to this report. Contact Sheehan at tim@cvlocaljournalism.org.