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Metro cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Bowling Green, KY

Cost-of-living indicators for Bowling Green, KY, from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities — overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100.

90.2
Overall RPP
#286
of 387 metros
63.4
Rents RPP
$111K
$100K national buys

The verdict

Bowling Green costs less than 74% of U.S. metros — an overall index of 90.2, 9.8% below the national average, with rents the biggest swing at 63.4.

90.2
overall cost index (US average = 100)
#286
most expensive of 387 U.S. metros
bottom 26%
by overall cost, nationwide
63.4
rents RPP — the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $110,891 here; matching a $100K lifestyle takes roughly $90,179.

What the Numbers Mean for Bowling Green

Bowling Green ranks #286 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the lower half by cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 90.2, Bowling Green, KY is 9.8% less expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Bowling Green's most and least expensive categories — the priciest line item versus rents at 63.4 — is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.

Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $110,891 inside Bowling Green, while a household needs roughly $90,179 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 63.4 — 36.6% below the national average — so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.

Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Bowling Green's overall index has risen by 3.5 points, signaling tightening affordability. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 96.2 and services at 75.2, meaning everyday spending in Bowling Green is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.

Bowling Green vs every U.S. metro

Where this metro sits in the national cost distribution

90 Top 74% higher than 26% of 387 US metros

80–84: 3 US metros (1%). Below this entry. 84–88: 48 US metros (12%). Below this entry. 88–92: 94 US metros (24%). This entry sits in this band. 92–96: 97 US metros (25%). Above this entry. 96–100: 55 US metros (14%). Above this entry. 100–104: 54 US metros (14%). Above this entry. 104–108: 17 US metros (4%). Above this entry. 108–112: 14 US metros (4%). Above this entry. 112–116: 5 US metros (1%). Above this entry. 116–120: 0 US metros (0%). Above this entry. This metro 80 120 every US metro, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities · 2024

Bowling Green cost breakdown

BEA RPP by category — 100 = national average

RPP

What this shows Bowling Green's gap from the national average is led by rents at 63.4. Goods barely move between metros; the spread you feel is housing and services.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities As of 2024

Goods vs. housing — where Bowling Green's cost comes from

Metros near Bowling Green's overall cost, plotted by their goods price (horizontal) and housing price (vertical). Same headline RPP, very different structures.

Crosshairs sit at the group median (goods 94.3, rents 64.3). Bowling Green is more goods-led than its peers — its everyday goods cost more relative to housing. These metros sit near Bowling Green's overall cost, yet they spread across the chart — proof that two places at the same headline RPP can have very different goods-vs-housing structures.

Crosshairs sit at the group median (goods 94.3, rents 64.3). Bowling Green is more goods-led than its peers — its everyday goods cost more relative to housing. These metros sit near Bowling Green's overall cost, yet they spread across the chart — proof that two places at the same headline RPP can have very different goods-vs-housing structures. 2×2 strategic matrix plotting 7 entities by Goods RPP (tradable items) → (X) and Rents RPP (housing) → (Y), with a crosshair dividing the plot into four quadrants. Pricier on bothMore housing-ledMore goods-ledCheaper on both 9394959697 5560657075 Goods RPP (tradable items) → Rents RPP (housing) → Bowling GreenManhattanRomeLas CrucesLawrenceBeaumontElkhart
Crosshairs sit at the group median (goods 94.3, rents 64.3). Bowling Green is more goods-led than its peers — its everyday goods cost more relative to housing. These metros sit near Bowling Green's overall cost, yet they spread across the chart — proof that two places at the same headline RPP can have very different goods-vs-housing structures.

Price Index Summary

Overall

90.2

-9.8 below avg

Goods

96.2

-3.8 below avg

Services

75.2

-24.8 below avg

Rents

63.4

-36.6 below avg

Salary Equivalent

A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:

$90,179

in Bowling Green, KY purchasing power

$50,000 nationally
$45,090
$75,000 nationally
$67,634
$125,000 nationally
$112,724
$150,000 nationally
$135,269
$200,000 nationally
$180,358

Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.

RPP History (2008-2024)

The cost of living has been trending upward, increasing by 3.5 points over this period.

Year Overall
2008 86.6
2009 84.7
2010 88.5
2011 87.8
2012 88.7
2013 90.0
2014 89.3
2015 88.9
2016 87.3
2017 87.8
2018 87.9
2019 88.9
2020 89.4
2021 88.6
2022 89.3
2023 89.9
2024 90.2

Metros with Similar Cost of Living

These metros have an overall RPP closest to Bowling Green, KY's index of 90.2.

Manhattan, KS 90.2 Rome, GA 90.2 Las Cruces, NM 90.2 Lawrence, KS 90.2 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 90.0 Elkhart-Goshen, IN 90.3

Other KY Metros

Louisville/Jefferson County 93.1 Lexington-Fayette 92.9 Elizabethtown 90.6 Owensboro 88.6 Paducah 86.1

View all KY metros →

What this means for Bowling Green

How to read Bowling Green's cost of living before a move, a job offer, or a budget.

  • Budget to local prices, not headline pay — a $100K national salary spends like about $110,891 in Bowling Green. Salary calculator
  • Weigh housing heaviest: rents here index at 63.4 (36.6% below average) — the single largest swing in the RPP, while goods barely move between metros.
  • Local median household income is $62,437; adjusted for Bowling Green's price level that is about $69,237 in national-average buying power.
  • Compare Bowling Green head-to-head against a specific destination before you decide. Compare metros

RPP is BEA's annual price-level benchmark for the data year shown — not a live market quote. Pair it with current local wages and housing costs before deciding.

Compare to Other Metros

vs New York-Newark-Jersey City vs Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim vs Chicago-Naperville-Elgin vs Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington vs Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands Custom Compare →

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Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Bowling Green, KY? ▼
Bowling Green, KY has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 90.2, meaning it is 9.8% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 96.2, services at 75.2, and rents at 63.4. It ranks #286 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Bowling Green, KY to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $90,179 in Bowling Green, KY. Conversely, $100K earned in Bowling Green, KY has the purchasing power of $110,891 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Bowling Green, KY? ▼
Rents in Bowling Green, KY are indexed at 63.4, which is 36.6% below the national average. This makes the area relatively affordable for renters.
Is Bowling Green, KY getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Bowling Green, KY's overall cost index changed by +3.5 points (from 86.6 to 90.2). The cost of living has been trending upward.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Bowling Green, KY? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Manhattan, Rome, Las Cruces. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Bowling Green, KY's 90.2.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.

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Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Federal data behind these figures
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — the cost-of-living indices shown on this page. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
  • U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) — the gross-rent observations BEA uses to build the rents component. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — the price program underlying BEA's goods and services price relatives. bls.gov/cpi
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage reference for the labor-driven services component. bls.gov/oes
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — federal 40th-percentile rent cross-reference for the housing component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr