Bowling Green vs Owensboro
Bowling Green, Kentucky versus Owensboro, Kentucky: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Bowling Green and Owensboro score about the same overall (41 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Bowling Green | Owensboro |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $47k | $52k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $47k |
| Home Value | $215k | $152k |
| Monthly Rent | $931 | $888 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.76% | 0.96% |
| Income Tax | 6.35% | 6.30% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.82% | 11.09% |
| Unemployment | 5.6% | 4.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 37°F | 35°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 78°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.1 in | 47.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 8.5 in | 5.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 183 days | 200 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 70 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 85.1 | 78.5 |
| Air Quality | 48 AQI | 48 AQI |
| School Quality | 42.3 | 56.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1284/100k | 1835/100k |
| Property Crime | 3855/100k | 3536/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 72,385 | 60,019 |
| Median Age | 27.8 | 37.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.49 | 0.30 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | R+17 | R+28 |
| White (%) | 65.8% | 81.6% |
| Black (%) | 12.6% | 7.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.5% | 4.5% |
| Asian (%) | 7.7% | 2.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.4% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 17 min |
| Walkability | 8.6/20 | 8.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 61 mi | 81 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.1% | 87.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 13.26 | 21.49 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Bowling Green or Owensboro more affordable?
- Owensboro has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Bowling Green's $48k and Owensboro's $47k. Median rent is $931 in Bowling Green versus $888 in Owensboro.
- Is Bowling Green or Owensboro safer?
- Bowling Green has the lower violent crime rate. Bowling Green reports 1284/100k and Owensboro reports 1835/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bowling Green or Owensboro?
- The median home value is $215k in Bowling Green and $152k in Owensboro, so homes are more affordable in Owensboro.