Overall
90.2
-9.8 below avg
2024 BEA RPP All 4 categories Federal source
Bowling Green, KY
Cost-of-living indicators for Bowling Green, KY, compiled from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024 data year). Categories include All Items, Goods, Services, and Rents.
CBSA: 14540 · Data year: 2024 · Rank: #286 of 387
Bowling Green, KY has a cost of living index of 90.2, meaning it's 9.8% less expensive than the national average. Goods cost 3.8% less, services 24.8% less, and rents are 36.6% below average. A $100K national salary has the purchasing power of $110,891 here.
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 Cost Index at a Glance
Bowling Green all-items cost index
Regional Price Parity vs national average (100)
Bowling Green category breakdown
BEA RPP composition by goods, services, rents, overall
Price Index Summary
Goods
96.2
-3.8 below avg
Services
75.2
-24.8 below avg
Rents
63.4
-36.6 below avg
Price Index vs National Average (100)
Overall
National avg
Index 90.2 (-9.8 vs national avg)
Goods
National avg
Index 96.2 (-3.8 vs national avg)
Services
National avg
Index 75.2 (-24.8 vs national avg)
Rents
National avg
Index 63.4 (-36.6 vs national avg)
Vertical line on each bar = national average (100)
Cost Breakdown Analysis
Below National Average
Rents -36.6% (63.4)
Services -24.8% (75.2)
Overall -9.8% (90.2)
Goods -3.8% (96.2)
Income Adequacy in Bowling Green
Bowling Green income adequacy score
$75,000 median income vs RPP 90.2
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.
Other KY Metros
Related Data for Bowling Green
Salary Data
BLS occupation wages for Bowling Green area
Fair Market Rents
HUD rent data for Bowling Green metro
Crime Rates
FBI UCR crime data near Bowling Green
School Districts
NCES school data for Bowling Green area
ZIP Code Data
Census demographics for Bowling Green area
Life Score
Quality-of-life composite rating
Relocation Guide
7-dimension relocation intelligence
Cost of Living Guides
Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data
Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations
Comparing Metro Areas
Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough
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.
Related
Data sourced from official U.S. government 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.
All federal data sources used on this page
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — cost-of-living indices by metro and state. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — inflation context by metro. bls.gov/cpi
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — housing-cost component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage component. bls.gov/oes
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — household income + demographics. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-burden context. irs.gov/statistics
