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Living in
Bowling Green.
About
Life in Bowling Green
Living here means being in a college town where Bowling Green State University shapes much of the community's character and economic activity—that's the reality upfront. The cost of living is reasonable; median rent runs around $897 a month and homes average $226,000, so housing won't drain your budget. Winters here are typical for Ohio—cold and gray—and the area gets regular rain, so you'll need to adjust expectations accordingly.
Bowling Green at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
23.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
28.6%
Foreign-Born
4.2%
Broadband Internet
91.9%
of households
Population Growth
+1.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.2% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Bowling Green: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Bowling Green, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (18.6%), and 3.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
13.4%
of residents
65 and Older
10.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
18.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
40.3%
of households
Married Couples
23.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.07
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 13% below OH average
Rent, home values, and income in Bowling Green
In Bowling Green, rent runs 13% below the OH average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
32.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
91.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,645
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
34.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1980
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $263,330 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for OH
Unemployment in Bowling Green
Unemployment in Bowling Green is close to the OH average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Bowling Green Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute17.5 min avg
How Bowling Green residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Bowling Green, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 77% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 17 mi
Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport (TOL)
Regional airport · few flights67k passengers boarded in 2025
- 60 mi
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
Major hub16.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 93% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Bowling Green runs 93% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
23
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
549.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Bowling Green Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 2 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
65.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Wood County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Wood County, which includes Bowling Green, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 2 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | Ice Storm | None reported |
| 2024 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $32,200 |
| 2023 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5,000 |
| 2022 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $23,000 |
| 2021 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5,000 |
| 2020 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
| 2019 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $368,000 |
| 2018 | 2 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Wood County, county-wide
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Wood County, which includes Bowling Green, is typically good.
Median AQI
39
Wood County, county-wide
Climate82°F summers, 22°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Bowling Green has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and cold winters (avg low 22°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
63°/44°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
35°/22°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
37.7"
Annual Snowfall
21.3"
Hot Days/Year
16
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
127
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
98
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 19°F | 2.26" |
| Feb | 36°F | 21°F | 2.01" |
| Mar | 46°F | 29°F | 2.21" |
| Apr | 60°F | 39°F | 3.40" |
| May | 71°F | 50°F | 3.99" |
| Jun | 81°F | 61°F | 3.60" |
| Jul | 84°F | 64°F | 3.53" |
| Aug | 82°F | 62°F | 3.79" |
| Sep | 76°F | 54°F | 2.91" |
| Oct | 64°F | 44°F | 2.83" |
| Nov | 50°F | 33°F | 2.37" |
| Dec | 38°F | 25°F | 2.26" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Bowling Green
Bowling Green has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
4.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Wood County Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Arrowhead Behavioral Health
Psychiatric · 14.7 mi away · Maumee
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Bowling Green
Bowling Green's student/teacher ratio is 13.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 44.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
44.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Bowling Green
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus
Public · 4-year · 12,812 students · in-state tuition $14,892 · 66% graduate · median earnings $52,269 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Private for-profit · 2-year · 395 students · in-state tuition $14,369 · 65% graduate · median earnings $55,997 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: River Raisin National Battlefield Park, 40 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Bowling Green
Bowling Green has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being River Raisin National Battlefield Park (40 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
River Raisin National Battlefield Park
National Battlefield Park
40 mi awayPerry's Victory & International Peace Memorial
Memorial
47 mi awayPublic Libraries in Bowling Green
Wood County District Public Library
251 N. Main St., Bowling Green
Cities Near Bowling Green
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Bowling Green?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Bowling Green FAQ
Is Bowling Green, Ohio affordable?⌄
Bowling Green's median rent is $897/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $45,154/year. Median home value is $226,100.
Is Bowling Green, Ohio safe?⌄
Bowling Green's violent crime rate was 23 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 549 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Bowling Green, Ohio?⌄
Bowling Green has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Bowling Green, Ohio?⌄
The cost of living in Bowling Green is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $897/month and median household income is $45,154/year. The median home value is $226,100. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Bowling Green, Ohio?⌄
The average commute in Bowling Green is 18 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from