Rents are 7% below what Bowling Green's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,240 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
March. Asking rents in Bowling Green usually run 0.5% below trend in March and 0.9% above it in August, about $17 a month apart at today's median. Based on 8 years of data.
Rent in Bowling Green is 0.1% below its high of $1,241 in June 2026, at $1,240 as of September 2026.
Rent in Bowling Green changed +1.6% over the year to September 2026. Across the 26 Kentucky cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.2%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Bowling Green rose 32.8% while median household income rose 15.8% ($42,216 to $48,873). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Bowling Green is 35.1% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($48,873) is $1,222 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,190); a 3-bedroom is $1,433.
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in Bowling Green, 42103 ($1,310/mo), costs 15% more than the cheapest, 42101 ($1,135/mo).
Glasgow, 27 miles away, rents for 20% less ($988/mo), about $3,000 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Bowling Green. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Bowling Green, KY is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 31.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Bowling Green, KY has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Bowling Green, KY stood at $950 in 2021 and currently runs about $1,240, reflecting a 30.5% increase over the period. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $43,633 in 2021 to $48,873 more recently. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 5.6% since 2021, moving from about 71,422 residents to roughly 75,388. Renters now make up 63.4% of households, compared with 61.3% five years ago. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Bowling Green, KY market of 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Bowling Green on your salary?
At $1,240/mo, how Bowling Green rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Bowling Green rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Bowling Green. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Bowling Green
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Bowling Green is $1,240/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $890/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,190/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,007/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,433/mo.
At 30% of local median household income ($48,873/yr), Bowling Green ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.6% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Bowling Green?
At $1,240/mo, rent takes ~30% of Bowling Green's median household income ($48,873/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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