Population 81,952 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bowie
Household size in Bowie
| Period | Bowie | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.93 | 2.73 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.99 | 2.82 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.90 | 2.86 | 2.74 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.78 | 2.77 | 2.68 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.15 | +0.04 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Bowie average 2.78 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.93, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the west and smallest in the southeast.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Bowie
| Period | Bowie | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.1 | 37.0 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.3 | 37.6 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.2 | 38.5 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.8 | 39.2 | 40.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.7 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Bowie skews older than the country: its median age is 42.8, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.1, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the northwest and oldest in the south.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Bowie
| Period | Bowie | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 11.3% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 11.3% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 10.4% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.2% | 10.4% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Bowie as they are nationally: 11.2%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 0.9 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Bowie
Renters in Bowie
| Period | Bowie | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.3% | 34.0% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.6% | 36.6% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.2% | 36.8% | 33.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 15.3% | 36.3% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Bowie is largely a place of homeowners: only 15.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About one in six owners (17.2%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 3.0 points, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Bowie
| Period | Bowie | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 8.7% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 6.6% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 5.9% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 3.6% of homes in Bowie are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.4 points, in line with the national trend. Bowie has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Maryland cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Bowie
| Period | Bowie | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1985 | 1977 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1985 | 1978 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1986 | 1979 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1982 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +6 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Bowie are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1986, versus 1980 across the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the Washington area. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the north.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Bowie
| Period | Bowie | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,814 | $1,470 | $1,249 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,848 | $1,583 | $1,363 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,222 | $1,907 | $1,576 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,596 | $2,236 | $1,869 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$782 | +$766 | +$620 | +$606 |
The median renter in Bowie pays $2,596 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $782 a month from 2006–10, a 43% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 34.2% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Bowie
Bachelor's degrees in Bowie
| Period | Bowie | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 49.4% | 46.6% | 36.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 50.3% | 48.2% | 37.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 51.8% | 51.0% | 40.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 54.0% | 53.9% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Bowie is highly educated: more than half of adults 25 and older (54.0%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 4.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the center.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Bowie
| Period | Bowie | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.4% | 89.4% | 88.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.3% | 90.2% | 89.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.6% | 90.8% | 90.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.9% | 91.2% | 90.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +1.7 pts | +2.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Bowie: 94.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has edged up 0.5 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Bowie
| Period | Bowie | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.3% | 5.9% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 6.9% | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 4.7% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 4.8% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Bowie than nationally: unemployment was 4.5%, against 5.4%. The picture is much the same across the Washington area. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Bowie compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowie | 2.78 | 42.8 | 11.2% | 15.3% | 3.6% | 1986 | $2,596 | 54.0% | 94.9% | 4.5% |
| Glenn Dale | 2.98 | 43.5 | 10.4% | 10.6% | 6.8% | 1998 | $1,608 | 51.2% | 91.9% | 8.0% |
| High Bridge Estates | 2.90 | 41.6 | 7.0% | 3.4% | 1.2% | 1968 | $3,298 | 48.9% | 95.8% | 6.9% |
| Mitchellville | 2.90 | 47.3 | 11.1% | 10.3% | 5.1% | 1994 | $2,395 | 54.3% | 95.9% | 5.4% |
| Kettering | 2.47 | 47.7 | 17.0% | 14.4% | 1.9% | 1991 | $2,292 | 41.9% | 95.8% | 7.3% |
| Patuxent | 4.03 | 30.2 | 17.1% | 2.6% | 3.7% | 2004 | $1,787 | 74.1% | 98.6% | 6.3% |
| Lake Arbor | 2.36 | 42.6 | 17.3% | 47.8% | 6.8% | 1997 | $2,322 | 53.3% | 95.8% | 6.8% |
| Lanham | 3.47 | 39.6 | 17.8% | 24.3% | 7.1% | 1976 | $1,892 | 35.2% | 81.5% | 4.8% |
| Seabrook | 3.24 | 38.0 | 14.6% | 33.3% | 6.8% | 1971 | $1,850 | 31.8% | 82.8% | 5.9% |
| Crofton | 2.77 | 37.7 | 14.5% | 18.4% | 4.1% | 1985 | $2,343 | 63.2% | 98.3% | 2.8% |
| Glenarden | 3.05 | 36.1 | 18.5% | 38.3% | 4.0% | 1983 | $2,177 | 33.6% | 82.7% | 5.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Daly City, CA · Cypress, TX · Denton, TX · Deerfield Beach, FL · Des Plaines, IL · Delray Beach, FL · Chula Vista, CA · Charleston, SC · Charlotte, NC · Charlottesville, VA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Bowie. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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