Ideal CityOpen the map

Annapolis vs Bowie

Annapolis, Maryland versus Bowie, Maryland: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Annapolis

Mixed · objective livability44/100

Bowie

Mixed · objective livability45/100

Annapolis and Bowie score about the same overall (44 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorAnnapolisBowie
Affordability
Median Household Income$97k$139k
Cost of Living$66k$66k
Home Value$473k$419k
Monthly Rent$2k$2k
Monthly Owner Costs$3k$2k
Property Tax Rate1.04%1.22%
Income Tax8.61%8.61%
Sales Tax6.00%6.00%
Estimated total tax burden15.65%14.27%
Unemployment4.3%5.1%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)36°F36°F
Summer Temp (Jul)79°F79°F
Annual Precipitation44.0 in45.0 in
Annual Snowfall15.9 in15.9 in
Sunny Days180 days222 days
Summer Humidity66°F66°F
Comfortable Days76 days77 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk7.111.8
Air Quality47 AQI49 AQI
School Quality74.883.8
Violent Crime1682/100k438/100k
Property Crime1944/100k1244/100k
Community
Population40,71957,922
Median Age37.743.2
Racial Diversity0.590.58
Male/Female Ratio0.920.89
Political LeaningD+15D+15
White (%)53.1%27.3%
Black (%)22.8%55.8%
Hispanic (%)17.4%8.2%
Asian (%)2.7%3.4%
Other / Multiracial (%)4.0%5.3%
Getting Around
Commute Time29 min36 min
Walkability15.5/2012.2/20
Airport Distance17 mi16 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.7%96.4%
Amenities Nearby72.2019.34
Park & Nature AccessGoodModerate

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 Annapolis or Bowie more affordable?
Bowie has the lower cost of living: its index is $66k, compared with Annapolis's $66k and Bowie's $66k. Median rent is $2k in Annapolis versus $2k in Bowie.
Is Annapolis or Bowie safer?
Bowie has the lower violent crime rate. Annapolis reports 1682/100k and Bowie reports 438/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Annapolis or Bowie?
The median home value is $473k in Annapolis and $419k in Bowie, so homes are more affordable in Bowie.
See each on the map

Explore Annapolis →Explore Bowie →

Full profiles