The Town FilesBowling Green, Virginia
Town in Caroline County · population 1,168 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $336,300
- Household income
- $82,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 12 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 31.9
Bowling Green is a town of 1,168 people in Caroline County, Virginia. The median home is worth $336,300, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks better for retirees than 87% of Virginia towns, quieter than 71% of Virginia towns.
How Bowling Green ranks
Percentile among Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Virginia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bowling Green is worth $336,300, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $82,500, which is more affordable than 37% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $751 a month. 64.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bowling Green | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $336,300 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $751 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $82,500 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 64.3% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bowling Green
| People | Bowling Green | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.9 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.1% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 31.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.0% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.6% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 9.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 6.6% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 31.0 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.9% | 91.8% |
Weather in Bowling Green
July highs average 87.4°F and January lows 26.3°F. About 44.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 11.9 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 32 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 93 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bowling Green since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. The strongest, an F1, struck on September 17, 2004 about 7.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 20, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on August 7, 2023.
Severe weather in Caroline County since 1996
Caroline County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3631: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 11, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4644: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| May 10, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4602: Severe Winter Storms |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3448: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Caroline County
Caroline County had 6,591 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,154 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Bowling Green itself the ACS puts it at 7.5%.
Public schools in Bowling Green
3 public schools with 3,087 students, about 17.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caroline High | 9-12 | 1,278 | 17.8 |
| Caroline Middle | 6-8 | 1,000 | 18.9 |
| Bowling Green Elementary | PK-5 | 809 | 16.2 |
Towns near Bowling Green
- Lake Caroline, VA10.4 mi · 2,511 people · home $297,600
- Lake Land'Or, VA11.5 mi · 4,555 people · home $302,500
- Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA16.6 mi · 5,610 people · home $395,700
- Passapatanzy, VA16.7 mi · 1,244 people · home $356,900
- King George, VA18.0 mi · 4,970 people · home $380,500
- Fredericksburg, VA18.6 mi · 27,982 people · home $483,700
- Falmouth, VA20.1 mi · 4,956 people · home $438,200
- Ashland, VA21.4 mi · 7,565 people · home $293,200
Bowling Green questions
Is Bowling Green, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bowling Green scores better for retirees than 87% of Virginia towns and quieter than 71%. 20.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.9).
How much does a house cost in Bowling Green?
The median owner-occupied home in Bowling Green is valued at $336,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,500, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $751 a month.
What is the weather like in Bowling Green?
July highs average 87.4°F and January lows 26.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.8 inches of precipitation a year and 11.9 inches of snow.
Does Bowling Green get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bowling Green since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on September 17, 2004. The typical Virginia town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)