Inground pool cost in Bowling Green, KY
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (450 sq ft)
- $34,500 – $108,000
- Per sq ft
- $76.50 – $239
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −4%
- US $74,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #177
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for an inground pool in the Bowling Green area: $34,500 to $108,000 for 450 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 4% lower than the US figure. Construction laborers earn a median of $20.13 an hour in the Bowling Green area, 11% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 450 sq ft in Bowling Green, KY, standard level
$56,500 to $85,800
About $125 to $190 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 52% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $27,100 | $41,300 |
| Labor | $29,200 | $44,300 |
| Permits and fees | $140 | $220 |
| Total | $56,500 | $85,800 |
Cost breakdown for 450 sq ft in Bowling Green, KY
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $16,500 | $34,200 | $52,000 | 48% |
| Labor | $18,000 | $36,800 | $55,600 | 52% |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $180 | $270 | 0% |
| Total | $34,500 | $71,200 | $108,000 | 100% |
What is behind the Bowling Green number
Labor is 52% of the midpoint bill here, against 52% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is construction laborers (40%), operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (30%), brickmasons and blockmasons (20%), plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (10%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Bowling Green the blended ratio comes out at 0.95.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Bowling Green is at 96.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $35,600 nationally becomes $34,200 here (midpoint, 450 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 90.2: $90 to $270.
Data note: 20% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Bowling Green. The wage table below marks each row.
Related projects, priced for Bowling Green
Jobs that often go together with inground pool are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Bowling Green wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (−3%) and concrete patio lowest (−8%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,500 – $10,600 | −7% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,800 – $5,050 | −7% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,150 – $3,650 | −8% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,950 – $14,000 | −8% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $580 – $2,050 | −3% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,750 – $12,800 | −5% |
Inground pool: what moves the price in Bowling Green
Pool type
Vinyl pools are $25,000-$65,000, fiberglass $45,000-$100,000, and concrete or gunite $50,000-$120,000 (HomeGuide).
Maintenance
Pool maintenance is $80-$150 a month; concrete pools also need an acid wash every 3-5 years at $300-$1,000.
Permit
A building permit for a pool is $100-$300 and contractors often include it. Many cities add plumbing and electrical permits.
Bowling Green: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Bowling Green. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small pool (400 sq ft) to large (800 sq ft).
Basic
$34,500 to $63,800
Vinyl-liner pool, small size
Standard
$56,500 to $85,800
Fiberglass pool, standard size
Premium
$78,500 to $108,000
Concrete or gunite, large with custom features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small pool (400 sq ft) | $30,700 – $56,800 | $50,200 – $76,300 | $69,800 – $95,900 |
| average (512 sq ft) | $39,200 – $72,600 | $64,300 – $97,600 | $89,300 – $122,500 |
| large (800 sq ft) | $61,300 – $113,500 | $100,500 – $152,500 | $139,500 – $191,500 |
Who does the work: Bowling Green trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 4 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Bowling Green the blend is 0.95.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 40%) the local median is $20.13 an hour, which is 11% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.58 and $23.85 an hour. BLS counts 840 of them working in the area, 102.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $28.93 an hour, in line with the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $24.46 and $30.35 an hour. About 300 work in the metro. That is 36.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 20% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Bowling Green metro, so we used the Kentucky statewide median: $28.76 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $21.66 and $33.08 an hour.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 10% of the weighting: a median of $30.89 an hour, in line with the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $23.41 and $42.62 an hour. About 160 work in the metro. That is 19.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.0 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $2,550 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $1,750. That is a swing of roughly 2.4% to 3.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Bowling Green has 82,160 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 231st by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $17.58 | $20.13 | $23.85 | $22.66 | 0.89 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $24.46 | $28.93 | $30.35 | $28.78 | 1.01 | metro |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 20% | $21.66 | $28.76 | $33.08 | $29.87 | 0.96 | state |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 10% | $23.41 | $30.89 | $42.62 | $30.67 | 1.01 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.95 | |||||
Is Bowling Green cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (450 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Evansville is the priciest of the group at $80,000. Clarksville is the cheapest at $69,600.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green, KYthis page | $34,500 – $108,000 | $71,200 | |
| Nashville, TN70 miles | $35,100 – $109,500 | $72,400 | +2% |
| Clarksville, TN70 miles | $33,700 – $105,500 | $69,600 | −2% |
| Louisville, KY90 miles | $35,900 – $112,500 | $74,100 | +4% |
| Evansville, IN95 miles | $38,800 – $121,000 | $80,000 | +12% |
| Lexington, KY130 miles | $35,000 – $109,500 | $72,100 | +1% |
| Kentucky (statewide) | $34,800 – $109,000 | $71,900 | +1% |
| United States | $36,100 – $113,000 | $74,500 | +5% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Bowling Green ranks #177 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Bowling Green is 1% below the Kentucky figure.
Elsewhere in Kentucky
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville, KY | 685,190 jobs | $35,900 – $112,500 | $74,100 | +4% |
| Lexington, KY | 286,910 jobs | $35,000 – $109,500 | $72,100 | +1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Bowling Green against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houma, LA | 83,440 jobs | $31,800 – $99,400 | $65,600 | −8% |
| Hilton Head, SC | 81,920 jobs | $33,300 – $104,000 | $68,700 | −3% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $39,500 – $123,000 | $81,300 | +14% |
| Idaho Falls, ID | 81,840 jobs | $35,700 – $111,500 | $73,600 | +3% |
The best months for inground pool in Bowling Green
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Bowling Green Warren Co Ap (in the city). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For pouring concrete, the comfortable months in Bowling Green are April through June and August through October: 6 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low of 40°F or below, and July has an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
The 40°F line is a deliberately cautious stand-in. The American Concrete Institute's cold-weather guide (ACI 306R-16) defines cold-weather concreting around an average daily air temperature below 40°F, which is colder than our test of an average overnight low at or below 40°F, so we flag a few extra shoulder months. In cold weather crews may need heated enclosures, insulating blankets or accelerated mixes, and those measures can raise a quote.
Heat matters for concrete as well. With average highs of 90°F or more in July, crews often start early, wet the base and plan for faster set times.
Bowling Green gets about 50 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 9 inches of snow. The wettest months are March, April and May (5.0 inches in May). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.6 and 3.6 inches. The station averages about 47 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46 | 28 | 3.6 | Cold |
| Feb | 51 | 31 | 4.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 60 | 38 | 4.5 | Cold |
| Apr | 71 | 47 | 4.8 | Workable |
| May | 79 | 57 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Jun | 87 | 66 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Jul | 90 | 70 | 4.3 | Hot |
| Aug | 89 | 68 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Sep | 83 | 60 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Oct | 72 | 48 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 59 | 38 | 3.7 | Cold |
| Dec | 49 | 32 | 4.3 | Cold |
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Inground pool in Bowling Green: your questions
+How much does it cost to install an inground pool in Bowling Green?
For 450 sq ft, expect $34,500 to $108,000 in the Bowling Green area. A standard-spec job lands at $56,500 to $85,800. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for inground pool in Bowling Green?
About $76.50 to $239 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $90 to $270 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $80 to $250.
+Is inground pool cheaper in Bowling Green or Nashville?
Nashville is 70 miles away. The midpoint for 450 sq ft there is $72,400, which is 2% more than Bowling Green ($71,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Bowling Green?
About 52% at the midpoint, or $36,800 out of $71,200. Materials are 48% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would average (512 sq ft) cost in Bowling Green?
$39,200 to $122,500. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does inground pool need a permit in Bowling Green?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $90 to $270 for fees in the Bowling Green area (our national range of $100 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Bowling Green expensive for inground pool compared with the rest of Kentucky?
Bowling Green is 1% below the Kentucky statewide estimate ($71,900 at the midpoint). We cover 3 metros in Kentucky; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Bowling Green?
The BLS median is $20.13 an hour in the Bowling Green area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.58 to $23.85.
+What do basic and premium inground pool work cost in Bowling Green?
For 450 sq ft, basic work runs $34,500 to $63,800 and premium work $78,500 to $108,000. Basic means: vinyl-liner pool, small size. Premium means: concrete or gunite, large with custom features.
+When is the best time to install an inground pool in Bowling Green?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through June and August through October. September and October are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Inground pool near Bowling Green
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does An Inground Pool Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Cost to Renovate: Renovation Labor Report 2026: Where the Money Goes (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = 48% of the installed price, from Cost to Renovate's mid-range 'Outdoor Living' category split. It is a category average, not a pool-specific one, so read the pool materials line loosely.