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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Bowling Green

Kentucky · 40,641 residents · 41.5 sq mi
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Bowling Green is home to 40,641 people in Kentucky. 51% of homes are owner-occupied. The poverty rate is 23.9%, above the 13.2% national rate. This skews young, with a median age of 29.6. Getting to work takes 13 minutes on average. The typical home is worth $57,500.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 29.6
US median: 33.0
More educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 22%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

40,641
−18%vs 2000
vs 49,296 in 2000
1990 – 2025
29.6
+4%vs 2000
vs 28.6 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
41.5 sq mi
Population, 19902024
37K48K58K68K79K19902000201020202024Bowling Green
202475K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 55.9%(2,400)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 95.5%(2,215)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.2%(2,505)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 1910.5%(4,283)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 2414.5%(5,897)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3415.5%(6,290)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4412.3%(5,009)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 548.7%(3,529)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 647.8%(3,167)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 747.3%(2,980)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 844.2%(1,691)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.7%(675)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$20,043
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $29,047 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
$11,760
−33%vs 2000
vs $17,621 in 2000
US average: $14,340
23.9%
+2.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 21.8% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

$57,500
−22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $97,000 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
$332
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $485 in 2000
US average: $450
50.6%
+3.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 47.0% in 2000
49.4% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic79.1%(39,010)
Black12.7%(6,249)
Hispanic / Latino4.1%(2,011)
Asian1.9%(959)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic86.6%(35,215)
Black12%(4,875)
Hispanic / Latino0.4%(181)
Asian1.1%(449)
Other0.3%(102)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

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)
Section 05

Education

23.4%
−3.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 26.9% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
71.5%
−6.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 77.9% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
9.7%
−1.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 11.6% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

13.1 min
+13%vs 2000
vs 11.6 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
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
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

10.1%
−7.4 ptssince 2013
from 17.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
47.5%
−4.9 ptssince 2020
from 52.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
10.1%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 11.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
13.4%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 13.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
32.0%
+2.7 ptssince 2020
from 29.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.9%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 2.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
56.1%
−6.4 ptssince 2020
from 62.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
43.2%
+2.6 ptssince 2020
from 40.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Bowling Green, Kentucky?

Bowling Green, Kentucky has about 40,641 residents according to the 1990 Census.

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

The typical household in Bowling Green, Kentucky earns about $20,043 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 $57,500, and the typical rent is about $332 a month.

How educated are people in Bowling Green, Kentucky?

About 23.4% 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 23.9% of people in Bowling Green, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →