Bowling Green vs Paducah
Bowling Green, Kentucky versus Paducah, Kentucky: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Paducah edges out Bowling Green on overall objective livability (46 vs 41 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Bowling Green | Paducah |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $47k | $47k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $42k |
| Home Value | $215k | $153k |
| Monthly Rent | $931 | $815 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.76% | 0.81% |
| Income Tax | 6.35% | 6.50% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.82% | 11.12% |
| Unemployment | 5.6% | 3.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 37°F | 36°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.1 in | 49.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 8.5 in | 3.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 183 days | 244 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 69°F |
| Comfortable Days | 70 days | 68 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 85.1 | 92.0 |
| Air Quality | 48 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 42.3 | 66.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1284/100k | 2384/100k |
| Property Crime | 3855/100k | 3090/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 72,385 | 26,869 |
| Median Age | 27.8 | 42.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.49 | 0.45 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.88 |
| Political Leaning | R+17 | R+32 |
| White (%) | 65.8% | 70.0% |
| Black (%) | 12.6% | 21.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.5% | 2.9% |
| Asian (%) | 7.7% | 1.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.4% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 16 min |
| Walkability | 8.6/20 | 8.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 61 mi | 127 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.1% | 85.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 13.26 | 37.59 |
| 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 Paducah more affordable?
- Paducah has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with Bowling Green's $48k and Paducah's $42k. Median rent is $931 in Bowling Green versus $815 in Paducah.
- Is Bowling Green or Paducah safer?
- Bowling Green has the lower violent crime rate. Bowling Green reports 1284/100k and Paducah reports 2384/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bowling Green or Paducah?
- The median home value is $215k in Bowling Green and $153k in Paducah, so homes are more affordable in Paducah.