I just looked at the Consumer reports site and found this: (I added my highlights)
Efficiency
This describes how much cooling the unit delivers for each watt of electricity. Efficiency is expressed as the seasonal energy-efficiency rating, or SEER. The higher the SEER, the greater the efficiency. Higher-SEER ACs tend to cost more, but they’ll often pay for themselves over time through lower energy costs. The minimum SEER allowed for a new split system central air conditioner in the U.S. today is 14, which is at least 20 percent more efficient than minimum-efficiency models made even 10 years ago. Systems that meet the Energy Star guidelines for efficiency have a minimum SEER of 15. The most efficient models reach a SEER of 26.
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Pennsylvania, for 60+ years, most recently, Allentown, now TV. 
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