With 11,170 people, Bolivar is a city in Missouri. This skews young, with a median age of 34.1. 2% of locals were born outside the United States. Households here earn about 30% less than in Missouri as a whole. Owners hold 54% of the housing stock. The typical home is worth $201,600, having more than doubled since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $49,622, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 34.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 38%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Bolivar
What changed most since 1990
White share98.0% → 91.4%(−6.6 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Adults with a bachelor's degree20.4% → 27.9%(+7.5 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Hispanic share0.6% → 3.6%(+3.1 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
Bolivar's population equals 34% of Polk County's. Its number of foreign-born residents equals 50% of the county's. Its number of veterans equals 24% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)28.6%(146)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)24.5%(125)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era27.2%(139)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War8%(41)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 511 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Bolivar, decade by decade
Bolivar population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
6,845
$39,858
$107,043
20.4%
5.0
2000
9,143
$44,829
$146,279
21.6%
10.5
2010
10,325
$45,726
$155,222
24.4%
15.1
2020
10,679
$45,451
$159,383
26.3%
27.2
2024
11,170
$49,622
$201,600
27.9%
20.2
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
