Median Income
$138,797
household / year
Median Home Value
$419,200
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$2,167
gross / month
Cost of Living
109
national avg = 100

Is Bowie, MD a Good Place to Live?

Bowie is a mid-sized city of 57,922 in Maryland, with a median household income of $138,797 and a 5.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.

Strengths: Bowie stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Bowie is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Bowie city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 108.6

Bowie's overall cost of living index is 108.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Bowie costs roughly 9% more than the average American city.

Metric Bowie, MD National Avg
Median Home Value $419,200 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $2,167 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 86.1% 65.9%
Median Household Income $138,797 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Bowie's violent crime rate is 193.2 per 100,000 residents — 49% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
193.2 /100k
Property Crime
2280.0 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Bowie is served primarily by Prince George's County Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Bowie, MD National Avg
School District Prince George's County Public Schools —
Elementary Schools 139 —
Middle Schools 25 —
High Schools 25 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 14.1:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 49.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 94.3% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Bowie sees average highs of 43.9°F in January and 88.5°F in July, with 45.0 inches of annual precipitation and 15.9 inches of snow per year.

MetricBowie, MD
Average High — January43.9°F
Average High — July88.5°F
Annual Precipitation45.0"
Annual Snowfall15.9"

Demographics

MetricBowie, MDNational Avg
Population57,922—
Median Age43.238.9
Unemployment Rate5.1%3.7%
Avg Commute Time36.1 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)28.8%59.3%
Black or African American57.1%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino5.8%18.9%
Asian3.4%6.3%
Under 1821.3%22.2%
65 and over14.8%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Fairwood, MD 2 mi Woodmore, MD 3 mi Queen Anne, MD 4 mi Glenn Dale, MD 4 mi Mitchellville, MD 4 mi

ZIP Codes in Bowie

Bowie, MD is covered by 2 ZIP codes:

20715 20716

Bowie vs Other Cities

Bowie, MD vs Fairwood, MD Bowie, MD vs Woodmore, MD Bowie, MD vs Queen Anne, MD Bowie, MD vs Glenn Dale, MD Bowie, MD vs Mitchellville, MD

Frequently Asked Questions

Bowie's cost of living index is 109, where 100 is the national average. That puts Bowie roughly 9% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $419,200 and median rent is $2,167/month.
Bowie's violent crime rate is 193.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2280.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Bowie are operated by Prince George's County Public Schools. The district has 139 elementary, 25 middle, and 25 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.1:1. 49.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Bowie, MD has a population of 57,922, a median household income of $138,797, and an unemployment rate of 5.1%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Bowie averages 43.9°F in January and 88.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 45.0 inches with about 15.9 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Bowie, MD is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 20715, 20716.
The population of Bowie, Maryland is 57,922 with a median age of 43.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Bowie: cost of living index 109 (100 = US average), median home $419,200, median household income $138,797, crime index 74 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Bowie side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.