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City · 75,388 residents · Warren County, Kentucky

Bowling Green , Kentucky

In Bowling Green, a typical home is worth $241,900 and typical rent is $998 a month. Compared with all of Warren County, typical household income is 26% lower, the typical home value is 6% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 19 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $241,900

    6% below the county

    18% above Kentucky

    • Bowling Green
    • Warren
    • Kentucky

  • Typical rent

    $998a month

    About the same as the county

    3% above Kentucky

    • Bowling Green
    • Warren
    • Kentucky

  • Typical household income

    $48,873a year

    26% below the county

    23% below Kentucky

    • Bowling Green
    • Warren
    • Kentucky

  • Households that own their home

    37%

    19 points below the county

    32 points below Kentucky

    • Bowling Green
    • Warren
    • Kentucky

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$280,339
about the same as 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,240 a month
1.1% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Bowling Green is in Warren County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Warren County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Bowling Green apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Bowling Green has the 3rd lowest homeownership rate of the 84 cities in Kentucky with more than 5,000 people (37%).

  2. Nearby, in Central City, the typical home value is $143,600: 41% less than in Bowling Green ($241,900).

  3. Nearby, in Leitchfield, the typical rent is $621: 38% less than in Bowling Green ($998).

  4. The typical household income in Bowling Green is $48,873, 26% less than in Warren County as a whole ($65,794).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Bowling Green

What homes there are in Bowling Green, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

No kind of home is the majority in Bowling Green; the largest group, detached houses, adds up to 45%, less than in Warren County (63%).

Year built

By age, homes in Bowling Green look like those in Warren County: the typical year built is 1991.

Homes in Bowling Green are smaller: 50% have 3 bedrooms or more; in Warren County, 65%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

By price, most homes in Bowling Green sit under the FHA limit for Warren County ($541,287): about 92%.

Monthly rent with utilities

Measured against HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($1,199), about 64% of rented homes in Bowling Green cost less.

With a mortgage

$1,447 a month

Warren County: $1,463 a month

Without a mortgage

$553 a month

Warren County: $500 a month

Owners with a mortgage

60%

Warren County: 64%

In Bowling Green, 60% of owners have a mortgage; their typical cost is $1,447 a month, about the same as in Warren County.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Bowling Green rose 50%; in Warren County, it rose 54%.

Rents in Bowling Green rose at about the same pace as in Warren County: 28% since 2015–2019, against 28%.

Here income did not keep up with housing: it rose 16%, while home values changed +50% and rent +28%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureBowling GreenWarren CountyKentuckyUnited States
Rental vacancy 5.6%4.7%4.6%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.9%0.9%
More than one person per room 6.8%4.3%2.0%3.4%
People per household 2.282.432.432.53
Drive alone 72%76%77%69%
Carpool 15%12%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike 6%3%2%3%
Work from home 6%8%10%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

In Bowling Green, the rental vacancy rate is 5.6%, about the same as in Warren County.

More households are short on space in Bowling Green: 6.8% have more than one person per room; in Warren County, 4.3%.

Fewer people live in each home here: 2.28 on average, against 2.43 in Warren County.

To get to work, 72% of workers in Bowling Green drive alone; in Warren County, 76%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Bowling Green?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Bowling Green, worth $241,900, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 48% of the typical household income in Bowling Green, which is $48,873 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $84,343 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Warren County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Bowling Green. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $8,467 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,968

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$237,518
Total interest
$341,733
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $4,085 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,140 a month

  • Tight

    $1,140 to $1,466 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,466 a month

    Your payment · 48%

Compared with the typical household income in Bowling Green ($48,873 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,968
Principal & interest$1,609
Property tax$151
Home insurance$101
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$107

You need at least $8,467 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Bowling Green and Warren County

Bowling Green is in Warren County, Kentucky. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Bowling Green's own numbers

Typical home value
$241,900
Typical monthly rent
$998
Typical yearly household income
$48,873
Households that own their home
37%
Effective property tax rate
0.75%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Warren County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,199
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+50%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
0.5%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Warren County.

Everything about Warren County

Buying

Buying a home in Bowling Green

A typical home in Bowling Green is worth $241,900: 6% below the county and 18% above Kentucky. With the typical household income in Bowling Green ($48,873 a year), a typical home costs 4.9 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Bowling Green 4.9 years
  • Warren 3.9 years
  • Kentucky 3.2 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Warren County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Warren County rose 82% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Warren County.

Period County Kentucky U.S.
Last year (2025) +3.6% +3.9% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +50% +50% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +82% +84% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Bowling Green next to Warren County, Kentucky and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Bowling Green $241,900
  • Warren $258,000
  • Kentucky $205,600
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Bowling Green $998
  • Warren $1,002
  • Kentucky $967
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Bowling Green $48,873
  • Warren $65,794
  • Kentucky $63,726
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Bowling Green next to Warren County and Kentucky
Measure Bowling Green Warren County Kentucky U.S.
Typical home value $241,900 $258,000 $205,600 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $998 $1,002 $967 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $48,873 $65,794 $63,726 $80,734
Households that own their home 37% 56% 68% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,807 $1,668 $1,544 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.75% 0.65% 0.75% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 50% 48% 45% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Warren County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Bowling Green

For a typical $241,900 home in Bowling Green, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Bowling Green's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,968a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $8,467
    Cash to close
    $15,724
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $107

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,924a month

    Down payment
    $12,095
    Cash to close
    $19,352
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $115

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,563a month

    Down payment
    $48,380
    Cash to close
    $55,637
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,787a month

    Down payment
    $36,285
    Cash to close
    $43,542
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Bowling Green and for Warren County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Bowling Green

0.75%of the home’s value each year

$1,807 a year for the typical owner in Bowling Green.

  • Bowling Green 0.75%
  • Warren 0.65%
  • Kentucky 0.75%

What Kentucky publishes Homestead exemption for owners 65 or older or totally disabled (Kentucky Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Kentucky

Flood risk in Warren County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Warren County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
0.5%
191
Of those, with NFIP insurance
29%
County Kentucky U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 0.5% 3.5% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 29% 19% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Bowling Green

Typical rent in Bowling Green is $998 a month: about the same as the county. In Bowling Green, 50% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Warren County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,199 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $23.06 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Warren County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $920 $17.69 $36,800
1 bedroom $1,020 $19.62 $40,800
2 bedrooms $1,199 $23.06 $47,960
3 bedrooms $1,438 $27.65 $57,520
4 bedrooms $1,959 $37.67 $78,360

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Bowling Green

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Bowling Green has 3 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,180 in 42101 to $1,370 in 42103.

2 of the 3 are above the fair market rent for Warren County ($1,199).

  • 42101 $1,180$1,420
  • 42103 $1,370$1,640
  • 42104 $1,230$1,480

3 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Bowling Green when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Bowling Green

HUD lists 46 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Bowling Green. These are the largest.

  • Summit View Homes 241A Ragland Way, Bowling Green 42101 340 homes, 338 low-income · Run by Housing Authority of Bowling Green · Average payment: $482 a month · Average wait: 16 months (270) 843-6071
  • Bryant Way 949 Bryant Way, Bowling Green 42103 258 homes, 257 low-income · Run by Housing Authority of Bowling Green · Average payment: $499 a month · Average wait: 14 months (270) 843-6071
  • Bowling Green Towers 1149 College St, Bowling Green 42101 204 homes, 187 low-income · For older adults (270) 842-4215
  • Regency Park - Bowling Green 2425 Thoroughbred Dr, Bowling Green 42104 120 low-income homes · For families (270) 842-0172
  • Payton Landing Scottsville Road, Bowling Green 42104 76 low-income homes · 1 bd: 20 · 2 bd: 36 · 3 bd: 20 · In service since 2020 · For families

See all 46 buildings in Warren County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Bowling Green

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 3 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Warren County; 1 says it serves in Spanish.

Two women and a girl laugh together at the bus stop.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Bowling Green

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Bowling Green or Warren County. The ones below are statewide in Kentucky: they work in Bowling Green the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Kentucky

  • KHC Down Payment Assistance (DPA)

    Statewide in Kentucky

    Kentucky state corporation loan of up to $12,500 for the down payment and closing costs, repaid over 15 years as a second loan, for buyers who take a KHC mortgage. Offered by Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Bowling Green

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Bowling Green, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Kentucky Legal Aid

    1700 Destiny Ln, Bowling Green · 1 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Home improvement and repairs
    • and 3 more
    (270) 782-1924

  • Housing Assistance and Development Services, Inc.

    2530 Scottsville Rd Ste 106A, Bowling Green · 2 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    (270) 796-4176

  • Live the Dream Development, Inc

    247 Double Springs Rd, Bowling Green · 2 miles away

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 2 more
    (270) 843-6071

Every agency in Warren County All counseling agencies in Kentucky

Help in Spanish near Bowling Green

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Bowling Green

HUD’s record names them for Bowling Green or Warren County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

All housing agencies in Kentucky Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Bowling Green, with the typical home value.

Everything about Warren County Housing in Kentucky

Neighboring counties

If Warren County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Bowling Green.

All guides
A family roasts marshmallows over a campfire at a forest campsite.

Questions

Housing questions about Bowling Green

Short answers with the numbers for Bowling Green and all of Warren County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Bowling Green?

The typical home value in Bowling Green is $241,900, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Warren County it is $258,000.

How much does it cost to rent in Bowling Green?

Typical rent in Bowling Green is $998 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Warren County is $1,199.

What is the FHA loan limit in Bowling Green?

Bowling Green uses the FHA limit for all of Warren County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Bowling Green?

The typical homeowner in Bowling Green pays $1,807 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.75% of the home’s value; in Warren County, the rate is 0.65%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Bowling Green?

There are 3 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Warren County. 1 says it serves in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).