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2008 01 02 - MD564 @ Chapel Ave 03Photo: Andrew Bossi · CC BY-SA 2.5
Town Hall · Bowie

How is Bowie run?

Bowie’s city government spent $63.9 million on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2024, about $1,116 per resident. Water and other utilities ($3 million) are counted separately.

Town website
Election Day

Today

General election in Maryland.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2024
$63.9M
year to June 30, 2024
Per resident, 2024
$1,116
In 2022: $971, more than 53% of 137 similar cities
Long-term debt
$27.6M
end of FY2024, reported
City staff, 2025
360
full-time · 87 part-time · March payroll $2.6M
Typical tax bill
$5,661
1.23% of home value · MD 0.97%

What stands out about how Bowie is run

Read from the city’s budget, meetings and official records.

Agendas posted online6 upcoming meetings posted, with agendas.Runs its own water & sewer22% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (2024).A shared school districtShares Prince George's County Public Schools with 6+ other towns.
★ What stands out · Meetings

6 upcoming meetings at town hall

From Bowie’s own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.

Recent meetings

Go in person

Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.

Agenda portal ↗
Your share of the 2024 budget

About $1,116 per resident a year, or $3.06 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: police, at 21%.

Where the money comes from
Property taxes 48%Income taxes 18%Interest, fines & other 10%Fees & charges 8%From the state 6%Utility sales 5%Other taxes & licenses 3%Sales taxes 1%From the federal government <1%From other local governments <1%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $225,000; interest on debt $1.1 million. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $68.1 million.
Compared with similar places

$971 per resident in 2022, close to the middle of similar cities

Bowie’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($971 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 137 Maryland cities that don’t run their own schools: the median was $944, and the middle half spent $643–$1,349. Bowie spent more than 53% of them.

Middle half of the group, $643–$1,349Median $944Bowie

Includes sewer and trash ($11.1 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
137

Maryland cities that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Bowie itself left out).

Over the years

Day-to-day spending is up 13% since 2022

Day-to-day services, in dollars, in the years Bowie reported to the Census Bureau. Prices rose too: about 4% a year in 2022–2024.

Day-to-day spending by fiscal year

2022$56.5 million
2023$62.4 million
2024$63.9 million

Per resident: 2022: $971 · 2023: $1,083 · 2024: $1,116.

City staff
360

full-time in March 2025, up from 328 in 2022. Both are Census estimates.

Building projects, interest and enterprises (hospital, utilities) are left out, so a big construction year doesn’t read as growth.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $5,661 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.23% of the home’s value, vs 0.97% across Maryland.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Queen Anne$8,473
Fairwood$7,607
Brock Hall$6,775
Woodmore$6,741
Glenn Dale$6,072
Bowie$5,661
Kettering$4,541
Maryland$4,093
$5,661
typical bill a year
1.23%
effective rate
$459,300
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Bowie’s rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Tax bills are one input to Bowie’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Bowie →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Bowie

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

See cityofbowie.org for Bowie’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Bowie yet.cityofbowie.org ↗
Who works for Bowie

One full-time city employee for every 159 residents

On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2024 finance file (57,192).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025

Administration & buildings78 + 18 pt
Sewer & trash76
Police70 + 1 pt
Parks & libraries22 + 53 pt
Roads & transportation30 + 1 pt
Health & welfare12 + 7 pt
Water & other utilities7
Other65 + 7 pt
360
full-time
87
part-time
$2.6M
payroll for March 2025
$31.6M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$83,600
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
55
sworn police officers
Not compared.Staff are compared with the same group as the budget, and Bowie’s 2022 budget was a Census estimate, so there is no group to compare with.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Prince George's County Public Schools

Bowie’s K–12 school district, shared with Berwyn Heights, Bladensburg, Brentwood, Capitol Heights, Cheverly and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Bowie →
$21,592
per pupil · MD $20,258
131,310
students
$695.7 million
long-term debt

Of the $21,592 per pupil, $12,853 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 39%State 52%Federal 9%

Maryland districts overall: 47% local, 44% state, 9% federal.

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Elections · 2024 general election

Bowie’s votes are counted by county

Maryland reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Bowie alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Prince George's County’s results.

President · Prince George's County’s results404,009 votes · results as certified
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat85.9%347,038 votes
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican11.1%45,008 votes

Others: 3.0% (11,963 votes).

Most votes in Prince George's County: Kamala D Harris

Maryland: Harris 62.6%, Trump 34.1%

The county’s page

100% of Bowie lies in Prince George's County. Every 2024 race in Prince George's County is on the county’s page.

Prince George's County’s 2024 results →
DemocratRepublicanLibertarianIndependent / other

Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.

Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.

Who represents Bowie

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Bowie.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: cityofbowie.org ↗
  2. 2
    Maryland House of DelegatesState representatives
    Adrian BoafoKym TaylorMarvin Holmes
  3. 3
    Maryland SenateState senator
    Ron Watson
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Wes Moore
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Steny H. Hoyer
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Maryland
    Chris Van HollenAngela D. Alsobrooks

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Next door

How Bowie compares with the towns next door

Bowie spent $971 per resident in 2022. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.

Fairwood: unincorporated, no town budgetGlenn Dale: unincorporated, no town budgetBrock Hall: unincorporated, no town budgetWoodmore: unincorporated, no town budgetQueen Anne: unincorporated, no town budgetKettering: unincorporated, no town budgetFairwoodGlenn DaleBrock HallWoodmoreQueen AnneKetteringBowie
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Bowie$971$5,661

Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).

Reach Bowie’s government

The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.

The Handbook →
Official websitecityofbowie.org ↗

Questions about Bowie’s government

How much does Bowie spend per resident?

About $1,116 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2024, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $971 was more than 53% of 137 Maryland cities that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Bowie?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $5,661 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.23% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.97% across Maryland. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see cityofbowie.org.

Who runs Bowie’s government?

See cityofbowie.org for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Bowie yet.

How did Bowie vote in 2024?

Maryland counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Bowie alone. Prince George's County, where 100% of Bowie lies, voted Harris 85.9%, Trump 11.1% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Bowie?

360 full-time and 87 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $2.6M (about $31.6M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Bowie in the state legislature?

State Senate District 23 (Ron Watson) and House of Delegates District 23 (Adrian Boafo, Kym Taylor and Marvin Holmes). The House of Delegates district also covers 1 neighboring town. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

When is the next public meeting in Bowie?

The next posted meeting is Tentative Council Agenda on Thursday, November 5, at 6:00 pm, from the city’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about Bowie’s government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →