Bowling Green had 78,505 residents on July 1, 2025, the Census Bureau estimates, up 35% since 2010 and third in Kentucky. Age, income and housing.
Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Every figure on this page comes from the U.S. Census Bureau and is linked to the table it came from. Questions about Census data: the Census Bureau’s customer line, 1-800-923-8282. This page is updated when the bureau publishes new figures.
Bowling Green had an estimated 78,505 residents on July 1, 2025, according to the Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 city and town population estimates. That is 6,211 more people (8.6%) than the 2020 census count of 72,294 and 20,438 more (35.2%) than the 2010 count of 58,067. Bowling Green is Kentucky’s third-largest city, behind Louisville and Lexington. The bureau’s QuickFacts page for Bowling Green summarizes the same releases.
What this means for you
- Bowling Green has grown faster than Kentucky as a whole in every period since 2010: 35% in 15 years, against 6% for the state.
- It is a young city. The median age is 28.7, more than 10 years below the state’s, and Western Kentucky University is a big part of the reason.
- Most homes are rented: 63.4% of occupied homes, nearly twice the Kentucky rate.
- About one resident in seven was born outside the United States, three times the state share.
Bowling Green’s population since 2010
The 2010s added 14,227 residents, a rise of 24.5%. Growth carried on after 2020, adding 1,500 to 2,050 people a year from 2022 through 2024, then slowed sharply. The bureau’s yearly estimates for the city, each as of July 1, are:
| Year | Estimated residents | Change on the year |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 72,473 | |
| 2021 | 73,147 | +674 |
| 2022 | 75,197 | +2,050 |
| 2023 | 76,729 | +1,532 |
| 2024 | 78,384 | +1,655 |
| 2025 | 78,505 | +121 |
Source: Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 subcounty population estimates for Kentucky. Each new vintage revises the earlier years, so these figures replace those published in 2025.
Age, households, income and housing
These figures come from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimates, the bureau’s most recent survey release for a city of Bowling Green’s size. They are averages over five years of sampling, so they carry a margin of error. The survey’s own population figure for Bowling Green is 75,388.
| Measure | Bowling Green | Source table |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.7 years | DP05 |
| Under 18 | 22.7% | DP05 |
| 65 and older | 11.4% | DP05 |
| Households | 30,633 | DP02 |
| Average household size | 2.28 people | DP02 |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.0% | DP02 |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor’s degree or higher | 31.2% | DP02 |
| Median household income | $48,873 (margin of error +/- $2,044) | DP03 |
| People below the poverty level | 25.6% | DP03 |
| Housing units | 33,481 | DP04 |
| Vacant units | 8.5% | DP04 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 36.6% | DP04 |
| Renter-occupied homes | 63.4% | DP04 |
| Median value, owner-occupied homes | $241,900 | DP04 |
| Median gross rent | $998 a month | DP04 |
The 2020 census counted 31,797 housing units in Bowling Green. The survey counts college students living in town, which pulls the median age and the household income figures down. Its home values are what owners say their homes are worth, averaged over five years. For current prices, see our Bowling Green home prices guide.
How Bowling Green compares with Warren County and Kentucky
Bowling Green is the county seat and holds a little more than half of Warren County’s people. The rest of the county has grown faster since 2020: the bureau’s figure for the county outside the city rose from 60,806 in 2020 to 68,922 in 2025.
| Place | 2010 census | 2020 census | July 1, 2025 estimate | Change since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green | 58,067 | 72,294 | 78,505 | +8.6% |
| Warren County | 113,792 | 134,554 | 149,375 | +11.0% |
| Kentucky | 4,339,367 | 4,505,836 | 4,606,864 | +2.2% |
Sources: 2010 census, 2020 census, Vintage 2025 estimates.
| Measure (2020-2024 survey) | Bowling Green | Warren County | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.7 | 33.3 | 39.1 |
| Average household size | 2.28 | 2.43 | 2.43 |
| Median household income | $48,873 | $65,794 | $63,726 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 36.6% | 55.6% | 68.3% |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.0% | 10.4% | 4.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree or higher | 31.2% | 32.3% | 27.6% |
| Median home value | $241,900 | $258,000 | $205,600 |
Sources: American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year profiles, DP05, DP02, DP03 and DP04.
The city is younger, more likely to rent and more likely to have been born abroad than the county or the state. Home values in the city sit between the county’s and the state’s. Our guide to your town, county and neighbors explains who runs what.
Why the numbers differ
- The census count is a full count of residents as of April 1 of 2010 and 2020. It is the benchmark the yearly estimates start from.
- The population estimate is the bureau’s yearly figure for July 1, updated from the last census. It is the best figure for “how many people live in Bowling Green now.”
- The American Community Survey is a sample survey averaged over five years. Use it for age, income and housing, not for the headline population.
New to the city? Start with our moving to Bowling Green guide and the Bowling Green schools guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bowling Green, Kentucky?
The Census Bureau estimates Bowling Green had 78,505 residents on July 1, 2025. The 2020 census counted 72,294.
How fast is Bowling Green growing?
Bowling Green grew 24.5% between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, from 58,067 to 72,294. The 2025 estimate of 78,505 is 8.6% above the 2020 count, though growth slowed to 121 people in the year to July 2025.
Is Bowling Green the third-largest city in Kentucky?
Yes. Its 2025 estimate of 78,505 is behind only Louisville and Lexington in the Census Bureau’s figures, and ahead of Owensboro at 60,892.
What is the median household income in Bowling Green?
$48,873 in the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey, compared with $65,794 for Warren County and $63,726 for Kentucky.
What is the population of Warren County, Kentucky?
The Census Bureau estimates Warren County had 149,375 residents on July 1, 2025, up 11% from the 2020 census count of 134,554.
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