Bowling Green, KY Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Bowling Green, KY Summary

Cost of living in Bowling Green research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Bowling Green is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Kentucky, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Bowling Green is 93, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Bowling Green is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Bowling Green ranks as the #53 cheapest in Kentucky out of 85.

  • Bowling Green ranks as the #2,137 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Bowling Green is $171,600.

  • The median income in Bowling Green is $43,633.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
93
Bowling Green's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Bowling Green, KY?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Bowling Green has an overall cost of living index of 93, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Kentucky, Bowling Green has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Kentucky's index of 94.

The standard of living in Bowling Green ranks as #53 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Kentucky. By definition, that implies Bowling Green ranks as the #32 most expensive place in the Bluegrass State.

For more reading on life in Bowling Green, check out:

53 out of 85
In Kentucky
2,137 out of 6,412
In America

Bowling Green Cost Of Living Vs. Kentucky

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Bowling Green. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Bowling Green is 98.

  • The Groceries index in Bowling Green is 88.

  • The Health index in Bowling Green is 84.

  • The Housing index in Bowling Green is 76.

  • The Transportation index in Bowling Green is 97.

  • The Utilities index in Bowling Green is 107.

Living Expense Bowling Green Kentucky National Average
Overall 93 94 100
Services 98 105 100
Groceries 88 97 100
Health 84 79 100
Housing 76 75 100
Transportation 97 102 100
Utilities 107 106 100
For more reading on cost of living around Kentucky, check out:
Bowling Green Cost of Living Vs. KY

Bowling Green, KY Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Kentucky, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Bowling Green is $171,600.

  • The Median Rent in Bowling Green is $842.

  • The Median Income in Bowling Green is $43,633.

  • The Home Value To Income in Bowling Green is 3.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Bowling Green is 0.23x.

Statistic Bowling Green Kentucky United States
Median Home Value $171,600 $155,100 $244,900
Median Rent $842 $826 $1,163
Median Income $43,633 $55,454 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.9x 2.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.18x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Bowling Green, KY
$171,600
Median Home Value
$842
Median Rent
$43,633
Median Income

Bowling Green, KY Costs By Category

Detailed Bowling Green Services Costs Vs. Kentucky

Item Bowling Green Kentucky
Shampoo $0.85 $1.06
Movie $11.19 $10.68
Bowling $3.98 $14.67
Haircut $15.99 $18.62
Beauty Salon $38.05 $39.05

Detailed Bowling Green Groceries Costs Vs. Kentucky

Item Bowling Green Kentucky
Ground Beef $3.96 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.01 $1.39
Milk $1.2 $2.05
Potatoes $4.03 $3.29
Pizza $8.31 $10.62
Beer $8.11 $9.38
Toothpaste $3.0 $2.34

Detailed Bowling Green Health Costs Vs. Kentucky

Item Bowling Green Kentucky
Optometrist $88.44 $108.57
Doctor $80.22 $116.17
Dentist $85.29 $99.13

Detailed Bowling Green Transportation Costs Vs. Kentucky

Item Bowling Green Kentucky
Gasoline $2.3 $2.22
Tire Balancing $43.03 $50.07

Detailed Bowling Green Utilities Costs Vs. Kentucky

Item Bowling Green Kentucky
All Electricity $177.56 $167.67
Phone $29.84 $175.64

Bowling Green SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
7
Affordability
5
Diversity
8.5
Safety
4
Amenities
8.5
Education
7
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Bowling Green

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Bowling Green. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Hendersonville, TN has a cost of living index of 100, 1.1x Bowling Green.

  • Gallatin, TN has a cost of living index of 96, 1.0x Bowling Green.

  • Central, LA has a cost of living index of 96, 1.0x Bowling Green.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Bowling Green
Hendersonville, TN 60,628 100 1.1x
Gallatin, TN 43,306 96 1.0x
Central, LA 29,746 96 1.0x
Goodlettsville, TN 17,522 99 1.1x
Portland, TN 13,031 92 1.0x
White House, TN 12,820 95 1.0x
Franklin, KY 9,885 86 0.9x
Greenbrier, TN 6,845 89 1.0x
Millersville, TN 6,099 93 1.0x

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