Bowling Green receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bowling Green
Gainesville
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 24%
vs38 · Bottom 16%
Growth
88 · Top 1%
vs78 · Top 8%
Climate
74 · Top 21%
vs85 · Top 2%
Physical resilience
31 · Bottom 20%
vs36 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
91 · Bottom 40%
vs68 · Bottom 11%
Access
65 · Bottom 29%
vs73 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
51 · Top 49%
vs34 · Bottom 25%
Measured values
| Metric | Bowling Green | Gainesville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 186,959 | 349,923 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,328 | $61,468 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,032 | $37,916 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 116/sq mi | 149/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $233,700 | $266,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $975 | $1,295 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.5% | 59.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.3% | 41.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.7% | 20.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,372 | 2,965 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.3 | 8.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 32.4% | 61.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 43°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.1" | 48.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 64 mi | 51 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 25.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.4 | 34.5 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Bowling Green
Elevated or high exposure: hail, earthquake.
Gainesville
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, wildfire.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Bowling Green
63
Your Score
61
Area Score
Gainesville
59
Your Score
57
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Bowling Green, KY Metro Area · Gainesville, FL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology