42122 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
42122
42103
Opportunity
57 · Top 46%
vs55 · Top 49%
Growth
71 · Top 14%
vs71 · Top 14%
Climate
74 · Top 32%
vs74 · Top 32%
Physical resilience
30 · Bottom 24%
vs28 · Bottom 22%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs91 · Top 30%
Access
70 · Bottom 12%
vs66 · Bottom 9%
Economic stability
80 · Top 12%
vs63 · Top 44%
Measured values
| Metric | 42122 | 42103 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,513 | 21,911 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $113,705 | $87,689 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,915 | $61,043 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 146/sq mi | 311/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $297,100 | $331,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,013 | $1,184 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 88.9% | 63.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% | 5.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.7% | 47.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.6% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 447 | 447 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.9 | 5.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 49.5% | 49.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.1" | 50.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 54 mi | 61 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 19.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.4 | 41.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.44 | 15.94 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 53.4% | 53.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
42122
Elevated or high exposure: hail, earthquake, inland flooding.
42103
Elevated or high exposure: hail, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 42122 — Bowling Green, KY · 42103 — Bowling Green, KY · How this is calculated: methodology