Photo: Tma169 · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Bowling Green is healthier than 93%
Bowling Green differs from Ohio on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bowling Green. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bowling Green
Bowling Green is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Bowling Green is healthier than 53%. Against the 4,057 towns with similar household incomes ($34K–$56K), it’s healthier than 93%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Bowling Green
1 in 8 adults lack reliable transportation (13.1%), vs 7.7% across Ohio. Food insecurity (20.8% vs 14.1%) and utility shut-off threats (11% vs 8.3%) are higher too. 18.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.7% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Mental distress runs high in Bowling Green
1 in 4 adults are in frequent mental distress (23%), vs 17.5% across Ohio. Depression is above the state too: 32.2%, vs 25.4% across Ohio. Mind & connection ↓
Diabetes and cancer are less common in Bowling Green
Bowling Green runs below Ohio on eight chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (8.3% vs 13.2%), cancer (5.5% vs 8.7%) and stroke (2.4% vs 3.7%). A young population is part of it: only 11% of residents are 65 or older (Ohio 18%). Conditions ↓
Bowling Green has a top-rated hospital
Wood County Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Ohio figure falls outside Bowling Green’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
What’s behind Bowling Green’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bowling Green is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns, #340 of 993 in Ohio. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 95% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Bowling Green’s median household income is $45,154; among the 4,057 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($34K–$56K), it’s healthier than 93%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
18.8% of Bowling Green adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Ohio.
How Bowling Green adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Bowling Green runs above Ohio.
2 in 5 Bowling Green adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Out of every 100 Bowling Green adults…
Bowling Green runs below OH on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Bowling Green residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Ohio. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Bowling Green
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Bowling Green, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Bowling Green; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Ohio
Share of adults, with the Ohio figure marked.
14 miles of trails across 17 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Bowling Green adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Ohio.
Bowling Green and the towns around it
Bowling Green’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green | B− | 38.1% | 8.3% | 13.4% | CDC place |
| Center Township | B− | 38.3% | 10.6% | 13.4% | ZIP codes |
| Plain Township | B− | 39% | 11% | 14.1% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bowling Green adults live with a disability (Ohio 29.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bowling Green
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bowling Green is better than Ohio on 8 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Ohio figure falls inside Bowling Green’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bowling Green | OH | U.S. | vs OH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.9%17.3–22.5 | 19.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.6%11.2–14.2 | 13.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 23%20.6–25.5 | 17.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.1%32–43.9 | 37.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.3%7.3–9.4 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 27.6%24.6–30.6 | 37.2% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 28%25–30.9 | 36.7% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 19.9%17.8–22 | 29.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.5–13.3 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.5%5–6 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 7.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.3%5.6–7 | 8% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.4%2.2–2.6 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.8%11.4–16.2 | 15.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.4%11.5–15.4 | 15.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.6%21.7–29.6 | 26.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.6%15.5–21.7 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.6%32.5–42.7 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.1%7.7–10.8 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.5%72.8–79.7 | 79.9% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.8%54.4–61 | 62.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 73.8%71–76.5 | 86.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 66.4%64–68.6 | 79.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.5%61.8–70.6 | 65.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.3%69.1–82.2 | 76% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 32.2%28.4–36.1 | 25.4% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 39.6%34.5–44.9 | 35% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.4%17.3–23.7 | 21.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20.8%17.9–24.1 | 14.1% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.7%11.8–15.9 | 11.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11%9.5–12.5 | 8.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.1%11.5–14.8 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.8%16.1–21.8 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.9%29.9–37.9 | 29.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.2%8.9–11.5 | 13.9% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.3%17.9–22.5 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.3%4.7–5.9 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.2%9.8–12.5 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.9–3.5 | 3.8% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Ohio figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Bowling Green
Is Bowling Green a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bowling Green is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #340 of 993 in Ohio. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bowling Green?
CDC estimates 38.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 32% and 43.9%, against 37.1% across Ohio and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bowling Green?
Wood County Hospital in Bowling Green, 0.9 miles in a straight line from Bowling Green’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bowling Green have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.7–10.8%), against 8% across Ohio.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Bowling Green more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bowling Green.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Ohio figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.