The Bowling Green metro is home to 183,194 people (up 6.5% over five years), with a median household income of $62,437. Typical rent of $1,215/month works out to 23.4% of the median household income — comfortably below the 30% affordability threshold (Census ACS + Zillow, September 2026).
The share of Bowling Green's workforce by sector — the base of tenant demand:
| Sector | % of workforce |
|---|---|
| Education & health care | 23.0% |
| Manufacturing | 16.5% |
| Retail trade | 12.6% |
| Arts, food & hospitality | 11.5% |
| Professional & management | 8.6% |
Education & health care is the metro's largest employment base — sectors like education and health care are recession-resilient anchors for rental demand.
Rents at 23.4% of median income leave room for rent growth without pricing out the median tenant. Market pricing, yields and the Star Score live on the Bowling Green market page; run a deal in the calculator.
At the 30%-of-income affordability rule, typical rent of $1,215/month suggests a household income around $49,000/year. The metro's median household income is $62,437.
By workforce share: Education & health care (23.0%), Manufacturing (16.5%), Retail trade (12.6%) (Census ACS 5-year).