Is Bowling Green or Owensboro Safer?
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of 2024 FBI data, Bowling Green is safer than Owensboro (Safety Score 17/100 vs 15/100), with a total crime rate of 3,153 per 100,000 versus 3,266 for Owensboro — 3% lower. Bowling Green has higher rates in 3 of 7 crime categories.
The biggest difference is in violent crime, where Bowling Green has a 36% lower rate.
Bowling Green — 5-Year Trend
Violent
Property
Total
Owensboro — 5-Year Trend
Violent
Property
Total
Bowling Green, KY
Owensboro, KY
Detailed Crime Rate Comparison
| Crime Type | Bowling Green | Owensboro | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Crime Rate | 3,153.4 | 3,266.4 | -113.0 |
| Violent Crime Rate | 224.5 | 349.4 | -124.9 |
| Murder Rate | 1.3 | 1.7 | -0.4 |
| Rape Rate | 89.0 | 78.2 | +10.8 |
| Robbery Rate | 46.5 | 44.9 | +1.5 |
| Aggravated Assault Rate | 87.7 | 224.6 | -136.9 |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,928.9 | 2,917.0 | +11.9 |
| Burglary Rate | 340.6 | 337.8 | +2.8 |
| Larceny-Theft Rate | 2,322.5 | 2,258.1 | +64.4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft Rate | 265.8 | 321.2 | -55.4 |
All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bowling Green or Owensboro safer?
Bowling Green is safer with a total crime rate of 3,153 per 100K vs 3,266 for Owensboro — a 3% difference.
How do violent crime rates compare?
Bowling Green has a violent crime rate of 224.5 per 100K while Owensboro has 349.4. Bowling Green has lower violent crime.
About Bowling Green, KY
Bowling Green, Kentucky, home to Western Kentucky University, sits on the Barren River. This city of over 70,000 residents is also home to the National Corvette Museum. With a safety score of 17/100 and a population coverage of 77,503, Bowling Green has a total crime rate of 3,153.4 per 100,000 residents.
About Owensboro, KY
Owensboro, Kentucky, known for its International Bluegrass Music Museum, sits on the Ohio River. This Daviess County seat is the fourth-largest city by population in the state. With a safety score of 15/100 and a population coverage of 60,096, Owensboro has a total crime rate of 3,266.4 per 100,000 residents.