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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Bowling Green, KY

Population: 72,385 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

A
80/100

Excellent fiscal health — strong reserves, low debt, well-funded pensions

Total Spending
$754.7M
Per Capita
$10,426
Total Revenue
$1.7B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
45.7%$344.8M
Housing & Community Development
21.0%$158.4M
Parks & Recreation
12.2%$92.1M
Hospitals
9.8%$74.1M
Public Welfare
8.3%$62.3M
Interest on Debt
2.2%$16.5M
Education
0.8%$6.2M
Utilities
0.0%$322K

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
1.5%$25.2M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$1.7B
Other
7.8%$131.7M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Parks & Recreation$1,273/person
Education$85/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)100/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)100/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Bowling Green stacks up against another city.

vs Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KYvs Lexington-Fayette urban county, KYvs Owensboro, KY
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Kentucky

Frequently Asked Questions

Bowling Green, KY spends $10,426 per resident, based on total expenditures of $754.7M for a population of 72,385. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of A (80/100).

Bowling Green, KY has total expenditures of $754.7M and total revenue of $1.7B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Bowling Green, KY employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Bowling Green, KY has a Fiscal Health Score of A (80/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.