Bowling Green is a city of 75,388 people in Kentucky. This skews young, with a median age of 28.7. 37% of homes are owner-occupied. The population has risen by half since 2000, adding 26,092 people. People stay put here: 73% were in the same home a year ago. The poverty rate is 25.6%, above the 12.5% national rate.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $48,873, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 28.7
US median: 38.9
Average education
31% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 37%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Bowling Green
What changed most since 1990
Homes owned by their occupants50.6% → 36.6%(−14.0 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
Population40,641 → 75,388(+85%)US over the same years: +35%
Adults with a bachelor's degree23.4% → 31.2%(+7.8 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Bowling Green's population equals 53% of Warren County's. Its number of residents living in poverty equals 80% of the county's. Its number of households without a car equals 82% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)35.1%(974)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)31.9%(884)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era28.7%(795)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.1%(115)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II2.4%(67)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 2,773 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Bowling Green, decade by decade
Bowling Green population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
40,641
$48,105
$138,004
23.4%
29.9
2000
49,296
$52,914
$176,701
26.9%
44.4
2010
58,067
$47,994
$177,520
28.7%
55.2
2020
72,294
$50,959
$203,623
31.6%
71.2
2024
75,388
$48,873
$241,900
31.2%
71.8
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
