Bowling Green, Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Bowling Green is a small community located in Virginia, within Caroline County. The total population is 1,561. It ranks as the 315th most populous out of 681 Census-designated places in Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Bowling Green is 31.9 years. This is 18% lower than the state median of 39.0 years. With 31.2% of the population under 18, Bowling Green has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community. 10.5% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Bowling Green is $82,500. This is 11% lower than the state median of $93,170. It is also 2% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.6%. This is 47% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. The unemployment rate is 7.5%. This is 76% higher than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $336,300. Housing costs are 12% lower than the state median of $383,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.1x. 64.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% lower than the state average of 67.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Bowling Green is White (non-Hispanic), making up 76.5% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 15.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 11.0%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 6.9%.

Education

24.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 43% lower than the state rate of 42.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Bowling Green, Virginia is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Virginia state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 681 Census-designated places in Virginia. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.