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CITY

Bowling Green

Kentucky · 78,505 residents (2025 est.) · 41.502 sq mi
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#291Youngest by median ageof 6,82628.7
The short version

Bowling Green has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $48,873. The city has grown rapidly, with population up 53% since 2000. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $241,900. At a median age of 28.7, residents skew younger than the country as a whole. The poverty rate of 25.6% is well above the national figure.

At a glance
Lower income
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
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
75,388
+53%since 2000
from 49,296 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
1,816 / sq mi
+38%since 2009
from 1,320 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
28.7
Unchangedsince 2000
from 28.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:78,505 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
37K48K58K68K79K1990201020202024Bowling Green
202475K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.6%(4,986)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.1%(4,613)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.3%(4,748)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 199.4%(7,108)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2415.8%(11,910)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3414.9%(11,264)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.1%(9,092)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 549%(6,772)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 648.3%(6,265)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 746.4%(4,859)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 843.3%(2,511)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.7%(1,260)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$48,873
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,047 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$28,971
+64%since 2000
from $17,621 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
33.9%
+15.1 ptssince 2009
from 18.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
25.6%
+3.7 ptssince 2000
from 21.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.492
+4%since 2010
from 0.472 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade18.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Information12.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Finance & insurance5.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.5%
US avg: 5.1%
Wholesale trade5.1%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services4.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration3.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing1.3%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.4%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.2%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.4%
Education & health services0.1%
US avg: 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$241,900
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $97,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$998
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $485 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
36.6%
−10.4 ptssince 2000
from 47.0% in 2000
63.4% rent
Vacancy rate
8.5%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 9.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
18.4%
−2.9 ptssince 2009
from 21.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
47.8%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 47.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.9
+34%since 2009
from 3.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
52
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Bowling Green on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic79.1%(39,010)
Black12.7%(6,249)
Hispanic / Latino4.1%(2,011)
Asian1.9%(959)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic62.1%(46,827)
Black14.1%(10,599)
Hispanic / Latino10.6%(7,956)
Asian7.7%(5,802)
Other5.6%(4,204)
Diversity Score
72
+47%since 2009
from 49 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican6.1%(4,565)
Central American2.6%(1,942)
Salvadoran1.1%(856)
Guatemalan1.1%(846)
Cuban0.6%(479)
Puerto Rican0.3%(211)
Honduran0.2%(175)
Venezuelan0.2%(163)
Spaniard0.2%(153)
Ecuadorian0.1%(74)
Panamanian0.1%(65)
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data
Peruvian0.1%(62)
Colombian0.1%(58)
Argentine0.1%(39)
Dominican0%(22)
Asian origin
Burmese4.7%(3,563)
Asian Indian0.7%(524)
Pakistani0.6%(451)
Vietnamese0.6%(441)
Nepalese0.2%(185)
Japanese0.2%(151)
Chinese0.2%(142)
Filipino0.1%(82)
Bhutanese0.1%(42)
Cambodian0%(32)
Taiwanese0%(26)
Thai0%(17)
+ 1 more asian origin group with data
Korean0%(4)
Pacific Islander origin
Guamanian0.1%(70)
Ancestry
English11.4%(8,588)
German8.2%(6,210)
Irish7.7%(5,778)
American7.5%(5,683)
Italian3.3%(2,457)
Scottish2.5%(1,918)
Polish1.3%(1,017)
Arab0.6%(483)
Russian0.6%(446)
French0.4%(320)
+ 36 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.4%(301)
West Indian0.4%(270)
Iraqi0.3%(262)
Dutch0.3%(247)
Slovak0.3%(241)
Ukrainian0.3%(222)
Norwegian0.3%(205)
Haitian0.3%(204)
British0.2%(166)
Croatian0.2%(157)
Romanian0.2%(155)
Danish0.2%(153)
Swedish0.2%(152)
Hungarian0.2%(117)
Greek0.1%(101)
Lebanese0.1%(68)
Jamaican0.1%(66)
Egyptian0.1%(64)
Swiss0.1%(58)
Canadian0.1%(52)
Somali0.1%(45)
Portuguese0.1%(40)
Turkish0.1%(40)
Finnish0.1%(38)
Syrian0%(35)
Armenian0%(34)
Austrian0%(26)
Belgian0%(26)
Serbian0%(24)
Kenyan0%(24)
Ethiopian0%(20)
Czech0%(16)
Jordanian0%(10)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population · Largest Mexican population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
31.2%
+4.3 ptssince 2000
from 26.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
85.4%
+7.5 ptssince 2000
from 77.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
13.2%
+1.6 ptssince 2000
from 11.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
17.8 min
+54%since 2000
from 11.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
71.5%
−6.9 ptssince 2009
from 78.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
14.7%
+2.2 ptssince 2009
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
6.3%
+4.2 ptssince 2009
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
5.6%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
10.5%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.9%
−6.8 ptssince 2011
from 11.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
64.8%
+0.6 ptssince 2011
from 64.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
11.4%
−2.9 ptssince 2009
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
32.0%
−31.8 ptssince 2009
from 63.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.3%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 48.4% in 2009
Female
49.7%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 51.6% in 2009
Foreign born
15.0%
+5.4 ptssince 2009
from 9.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
4.8%
−42.9 ptssince 2009
from 47.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
15.6%
+2.0 ptssince 2012
from 13.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
10.1%
−72.4 ptssince 2013
from 82.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
90.0%
+14.0 ptssince 2017
from 76.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
77.9%
−5.2 ptssince 2016
from 83.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
7.6%
+2.3 ptssince 2016
from 5.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married50.6%(15,495)
Married38.7%(11,859)
Widowed2.5%(767)
Divorced8.2%(2,517)
Women 15+
Never married43.5%(13,213)
Married35.5%(10,778)
Widowed7.5%(2,277)
Divorced13.6%(4,135)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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BOWLING GREEN VS
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BOWLING GREEN VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Bowling Green, Kentucky?

Bowling Green, Kentucky has about 75,388 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Bowling Green, Kentucky?

The typical household in Bowling Green, Kentucky earns about $48,873 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Bowling Green, Kentucky expensive?

In Bowling Green, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $241,900, and the typical rent is about $998 a month.

How educated are people in Bowling Green, Kentucky?

About 31.2% of adults age 25 and over in Bowling Green, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Bowling Green, Kentucky?

About 25.6% of people in Bowling Green, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.

Has Bowling Green, Kentucky grown since 1990?

Yes, Bowling Green, Kentucky has grown since 1990. The population has added about 34,747 residents, a change of about 85 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Bowling Green, Kentucky: demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy