I live in an area of the country where the weather is most often cold and wet.
Both the spring and fall are chilly enough to require running the heating system, and there’s plenty of rain.
The winter conditions tend to last for more than half the year. The temperature dips well below freezing and often into the negative digits. The cost of heating adds up to a significant part of the budget. I never gave much thought to installing air conditioning. It’s not really necessary for the local climate. The summer season is short but can be hot and humid. For quite a few years, I managed with window air conditioners in the bedroom and a few box fans. It wasn’t ideal. I didn’t like the aesthetics of the air conditioners, and the majority of the house was hot and sticky. When it was time to replace my furnace, the contractor offered a significant discount on including central cooling as well. The deal was too good to pass up. I only wish I would have made the investment sooner. The improvement in comfort is amazing. The air conditioner not only maintains an ideal temperature but helps to combat excess humidity and filter out contaminants. It keeps the house cleaner and provides much better indoor air quality. Even when the outdoor temperature is mild, I like to run the air conditioner for the sake of the fan, just to keep the air feeling fresh. Because I spent extra for an Energy star rated, high efficiency model, my utility bills aren’t overly expensive.