Bowling Green, KY

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

Add Comparison

2022 Population

180,624

1.25% 1-year growth

US Senator

Mitch McConnell

Republican Party

US Senator

Rand Paul

Republican Party

2022 Median Age

35.5

0.852% 1-year increase

2022 Poverty Rate

17.3%

1.2% 1-year increase

2022 Median Household Income

$60,914

11.1% 1-year growth

2022 Median Property Value

$204,400

20.2% 1-year growth

2022 Employed Population

86,786

0.714% 1-year growth

About

In 2022, Bowling Green, KY had a population of 181k people with a median age of 35.5 and a median household income of $60,914. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Bowling Green, KY grew from 178,398 to 180,624, a 1.25% increase and its median household income grew from $54,850 to $60,914, a 11.1% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Bowling Green, KY are White (Non-Hispanic) (81%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (6.62%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (3.75%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.12%), and White (Hispanic) (2.32%).

None of the households in Bowling Green, KY reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

95% of the residents in Bowling Green, KY are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Bowling Green, KY are Western Kentucky University (4,485 degrees awarded in 2022), Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College (2,374 degrees), and PJ's College of Cosmetology-Bowling Green (234 degrees).

In 2022, the median property value in Bowling Green, KY was $204,400, and the homeownership rate was 61.8%.

Most people in Bowling Green, KY drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Bowling Green, KY was 2 cars per household.

Bowling Green, KY borders Central City, KY, Glasgow, KY, and Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN.

United States Kentucky

Population & Diversity

Bowling Green, KY is home to a population of 181k people, from which 95% are citizens. As of 2022, 7.09% of Bowling Green, KY residents were born outside of the country (12.8k people).

In 2022, there were 12.2 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (146k people) in Bowling Green, KY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 12k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 6.77k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95%

2022 Citizenship

95.4%

2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 95% of Bowling Green, KY residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in Bowling Green, KY was 95.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Bowling Green, KY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Bowling Green, KY

White (Non-Hispanic)
146k ± 366
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
12k ± 565
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
6.77k ± 291

4.88%

Hispanic Population

8.81k people

4.88% of the people in Bowling Green, KY are hispanic (8.81k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Bowling Green, KY as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for Kentucky.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
28,651 ± 4,142 people
Cuba
14,970 ± 2,999 people
India
12,312 ± 2,720 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Kentucky was Mexico, the natal country of 28,651 Kentucky residents, followed by Cuba with 14,970 and India with 12,312.

Foreign-Born Population

7.09%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

12.8k people

7.05%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

12.6k people

As of 2022, 7.09% of Bowling Green, KY residents (12.8k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Bowling Green, KY was 7.05%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Bowling Green, KY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
3,064 ± 364
Gulf War (2001-)
2,350 ± 398
Gulf War (1990s)
1,494 ± 313

Bowling Green, KY has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.3 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Bowling Green, KY employs 86.8k people. The largest industries in Bowling Green, KY are Manufacturing (13,978 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (11,373 people), and Retail Trade (10,662 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($83,667), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($64,375), and Public Administration ($57,067).

Males in Kentucky have an average income that is 1.32 times higher than the average income of females, which is $52,220. The income inequality in Kentucky (measured using the Gini index) is 0.452, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

86.8k

2022 Value

± 2,478

0.714%

1 Year growth

± 4%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Bowling Green, KY grew at a rate of 0.714%, from 86.2k employees to 86.8k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Bowling Green, KY, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (9,688 people), Production Occupations (8,340 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (8,249 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Bowling Green, KY.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Kentucky (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

View Full Dashboard

Industries

Employment by Industries

86.8k

2022 Value

± 2,478

0.714%

1 Year growth

± 4%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Bowling Green, KY grew at a rate of 0.714%, from 86.2k employees to 86.8k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Bowling Green, KY, are Manufacturing (13,978 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (11,373 people), and Retail Trade (10,662 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Bowling Green, KY, though some of these residents may live in Bowling Green, KY and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$43,623

Median earning men ± $1,951

$29,144

Median earning women ± $933

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Public Administration ($68,040), Manufacturing ($57,605), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($56,544).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Public Administration ($50,781), Manufacturing ($40,853), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($40,691).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

Y-Axis

2.51%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.98M people employed in Kentucky. This represents a 2.51% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14.4%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Kentucky.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

237
Retail Trade
209
Health Care and Social Assistance
196
Construction

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$836k
Manufacturing
$544k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$297k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Kentucky went to Donald J. Trump with 62.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (36.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.23%).

Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul are the senators currently representing the state of Kentucky. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Kentucky is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Bowling Green, KY. Showing the available data for Kentucky.

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (62.1%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (36.2%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.23%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Kentucky went to Donald J. Trump with 62.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (36.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.23%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Kentucky for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Kentucky

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

Mitch McConnell

Senator from Kentucky

Assumed office on January 3, 1985

Rand Paul

Senator from Kentucky

Assumed office on January 3, 2011

Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul are the senators currently representing Kentucky.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Kentucky over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Kentucky

Kentucky is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Kentucky have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Bowling Green, KY awarded 7,176 degrees. The student population of Bowling Green, KY in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 8,074 male students and 13,536 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Bowling Green, KY are White (5,884 and 83%), followed by Black or African American (476 and 6.72%), Hispanic or Latino (284 and 4.01%), and Two or More Races (210 and 2.96%).

The largest universities in Bowling Green, KY by number of degrees awarded are Western Kentucky University (4,485 and 62.5%), Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College (2,374 and 33.1%), and PJ's College of Cosmetology-Bowling Green (234 and 3.26%).

The most popular majors in Bowling Green, KY are General Business Administration & Management (559 and 7.79%), Registered Nursing (332 and 4.63%), and Liberal Arts & Sciences (308 and 4.29%).

The median tuition cost in Bowling Green, KY for a public four year colleges is $11,112 for in-state students and $27,072 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Bowling Green, KY, the percentage of applicants admitted was 96.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 37.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 21,610 (37.4% men and 62.6% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 21,610 students enrolled in Bowling Green, KY, 37.4% men and 62.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 16,553 records, of which 62.9% were women and 37.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Studies
138 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
170 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
144 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Bowling Green, KY was General Studies with 138 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Bowling Green, KY according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Western Kentucky University
4,485 degrees awarded
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College
2,374 degrees awarded
PJ's College of Cosmetology-Bowling Green
234 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Western Kentucky University with 4,485 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 3,151 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Bowling Green, KY, which is 0.783 times less than the 4,025 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 5,884 degrees mean that there were 12.4 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 476 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($11,112) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($192) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,078) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

Measure

In 2022, 0.821% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.756% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.17M), Some college (766k), and Secondary Education (551k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Bowling Green, KY was $204,400 in 2022, which is 0.725 times smaller than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $170,100 to $204,400, a 20.2% increase. The homeownership rate in Bowling Green, KY is 61.8%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in Bowling Green, KY have an average commute time of 22.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Bowling Green, KY is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Bowling Green, KY is $60,914. In 2022, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Bowling Green, KY was Oldham County, KY with a value of $117,334, followed by Spencer County, KY and Boone County, KY, with respective values of $101,118 and $91,697.

Housing

Property

$204,400

Median Property Value 2022

±$5,607

$43,060

Median Property Taxes

±$1,533

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Bowling Green, KY the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Bowling Green, KY compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

61.8%

Homeownership

2022

67.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2022

In 2022, 61.8% of the housing units in Bowling Green, KY were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 62.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Bowling Green, KY compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2022, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Bowling Green, KY was Oldham County, KY with a value of $117,334, followed by Spencer County, KY and Boone County, KY, with respective values of $101,118 and $91,697.

The following map shows all of the counties in Bowling Green, KY colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$60,914

Median Household Income

± $2,080

69.6k

Number of Households

± 2,164

In 2022, the median household income of the 69.6k households in Bowling Green, KY grew to $60,914 from the previous year's value of $54,850.

The following chart displays the households in Bowling Green, KY distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Bowling Green, KY is from Kentucky.

0.452

2022 Wage GINI in Kentucky

0.453

2021 Wage GINI in Kentucky

In 2022, the income inequality in Kentucky was 0.452 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.286% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Kentucky was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Kentucky in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Kentucky across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2022

Drove Alone (79%)
Carpooled (11.4%)
Worked At Home (5.29%)

In 2022, 79% of workers in Bowling Green, KY drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (11.4%) and those who worked at home (5.29%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

22.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Bowling Green, KY have a shorter commute time (22.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 2.67% of the workforce in Bowling Green, KY have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Bowling Green, KY compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Bowling Green, KY distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Bowling Green, KY have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

17.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Bowling Green, KY (29.9k out of 173k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Bowling Green, KY is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

92.6% of the population of Bowling Green, KY has health coverage, with 45.4% on employee plans, 23% on Medicaid, 11.5% on Medicare, 11.4% on non-group plans, and 1.43% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Kentucky see 1551 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.977% increase from the previous year (1536 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1512 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 365 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

1,551 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Kentucky

Primary care physicians in Kentucky see an average of 1,551 patients per year. This represents a 0.977% increase from the previous year (1,536 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Kentucky in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.9% under 18 years, 24.9% between 18 and 34 years, 35.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.9% were men and 51.1% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

7.37%

Uninsured

45.4%

Employer Coverage

23%

Medicaid

11.5%

Medicare

11.4%

Non-Group

1.43%

Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in Bowling Green, KY grew by 13.4% from 6.5% to 7.37%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Bowling Green, KY changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Keep Exploring

Kentucky

State

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN