Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Bowling Green’s subject grades are an A− for cost of living and history; the weakest is a C for walkability. Only 34 of Virginia’s 370 towns score higher on cost of living. Bowling Green's public schools trail 68% of Virginia towns on state tests and graduation. Only 2 of the 87 Virginia towns we compare have a lower violent crime rate than Bowling Green. Its National Register listings include Old Mansion and Caroline County Courthouse. Bowling Green has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Bowling Green beats most towns.
Old Mansion
Census counts: 377 in 1850, a low of 237 in 1860, 1,168 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1864 and 5 maps from 1949 on.
5 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Virginia), ordered by how far Bowling Green is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bowling Green, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Bowling Green.
Most working residents leave Bowling Green for work: only 4% work in town. Bowling Green’s average trip to work is 31 minutes, above both Virginia’s towns (27 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). 15% of Bowling Green residents live below the poverty line.
| Bowling Green | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 7.7% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $83,000 | $102,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.7% | 4.9% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Bowling Green beats the Virginia average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 13. 44% of Bowling Green adults have high blood pressure, where Virginia’s towns sit at 33% and U.S. towns at 35%. 16% of adults have diabetes in Bowling Green.
| Bowling Green | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 33% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 11% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 12% | 14% |
| What stands out | Bowling Green | VA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82% | 76.8% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4.8% | 3.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Bowling Green has chilly winters and warm summers. The July high in Bowling Green is 89°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The typical Bowling Green home is worth about $361,000, up 3.4% in a year, 13% below the Virginia typical home. Bowling Green’s median rent is $751 a month.
| Bowling Green | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $751 a month | $1,762 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 64% | 68% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Bowling Green's reported crime rate is well below Virginia's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. No violent crimes were reported in 2025.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 53% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Bowling Green. Close and well known come first.
16 mi Theme parkKings Dominion
17 mi National MonumentGeorge Washington Birthplace National Monument72K visitors a year
36 mi LandmarkHollywood Cemetery
35 mi LandmarkRobert E. Lee Monument
36 mi MuseumWhite House of the Confederacy
34 mi MuseumNational Museum of the Marine CorpsKings Dominion: Erechtheus, CC BY-SA 3.0 · George Washington Birthplace National Monument: National Park Service Digital Image Archives, Public domain · Hollywood Cemetery: Andrew Bain, Public domain · Robert E. Lee Monument: Martin Falbisoner, CC BY-SA 3.0 · White House of the Confederacy: AlbertHerring, CC BY-SA 3.0 · National Museum of the Marine Corps: RadioFan (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0
None within 15 miles of Bowling Green; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Bowling Green residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Virginia.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
5 places in Bowling Green on the National Register of Historic Places.
3 notable people were born in Bowling Green.
Town in Virginia, United States
Bowling Green is an incorporated town in Caroline County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 census, Bowling Green had a population of 1,168. The county seat of Caroline County since 1803, Bowling Green is best known as the "cradle of American horse racing", the home of the second-oldest Virginia Masonic Lodge, and the current location of the oldest continuously inhabited residence in Virginia.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.
3 notable people were born here, including Reuben Chapman and Thomas P. Westendorf.
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