Bowie vs Crofton
Bowie, Maryland versus Crofton, Maryland: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Bowie and Crofton score about the same overall (45 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Bowie | Crofton |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $139k | $143k |
| Cost of Living | $66k | $66k |
| Home Value | $419k | $487k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.22% | 0.82% |
| Income Tax | 8.61% | 8.61% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.27% | 13.37% |
| Unemployment | 5.1% | 4.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 36°F | 36°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.0 in | 47.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 15.9 in | 19.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 222 days | 180 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 77 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 11.8 | 11.9 |
| Air Quality | 49 AQI | 47 AQI |
| School Quality | 83.8 | 74.8 |
| Violent Crime | 438/100k | 1270/100k |
| Property Crime | 1244/100k | 1574/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 57,922 | 29,358 |
| Median Age | 43.2 | 37.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.58 | 0.53 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.89 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | D+15 | D+15 |
| White (%) | 27.3% | 61.6% |
| Black (%) | 55.8% | 15.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.2% | 8.7% |
| Asian (%) | 3.4% | 8.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.3% | 5.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 36 min | 34 min |
| Walkability | 12.2/20 | 8.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 16 mi | 11 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 96.4% | 97.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 19.34 | 47.01 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | 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 Bowie or Crofton more affordable?
- Crofton has the lower cost of living: its index is $66k, compared with Bowie's $66k and Crofton's $66k. Median rent is $2k in Bowie versus $2k in Crofton.
- Is Bowie or Crofton safer?
- Bowie has the lower violent crime rate. Bowie reports 438/100k and Crofton reports 1270/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bowie or Crofton?
- The median home value is $419k in Bowie and $487k in Crofton, so homes are more affordable in Bowie.