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COUNTY

Bolivar County

Mississippi · 28,262 residents (2025 est.) · 877 sq mi
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Part of the Cleveland micropolitan area
The short version

Bolivar County is a county of 29,534 people in Mississippi. The poverty rate is 32.6%, above the 12.5% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $130,000. 2% of residents were born outside the United States. The median household earns $39,585, about 52% below the national median. That trails the Mississippi median by roughly 30%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 37.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 39%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
29,534
−27%since 2000
from 40,633 in 2000
28,262 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
34 / sq mi
−21%since 2009
from 43 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
37.5
+26%since 2000
from 29.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
877 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
28K32K36K39K43K19902000201020202024Bolivar County
202430K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.5%(1,915)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96%(1,770)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.9%(2,335)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 198.2%(2,418)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.4%(1,884)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.5%(3,397)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413%(3,840)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.9%(3,218)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.5%(3,701)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.6%(3,141)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.7%(1,389)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.8%(526)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$39,585
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $23,428 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$25,454
+111%since 2000
from $12,088 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
25.5%
+12.4 ptssince 2009
from 13.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
32.6%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 33.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.540
+2%since 2010
from 0.527 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12.8%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade10.8%
US avg: 9.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing6.1%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction5.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Finance & insurance5.7%
US avg: 5.9%
Wholesale trade5.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing2.7%
US avg: 2.2%
Other services2%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration1.9%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food0.5%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.4%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$130,000
+39%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $51,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$685
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $377 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
62.6%
+1.6 ptssince 2000
from 61.1% in 2000
37.4% rent
Vacancy rate
12.9%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.35 people
−11%since 2009
from 2.64 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
27.8%
−3.3 ptssince 2009
from 31.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
48.9%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 48.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.3
+10%since 2009
from 3.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
56
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic32.9%(13,365)
Black64.8%(26,345)
Hispanic / Latino1.2%(477)
Asian0.5%(199)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic31%(9,160)
Black63.2%(18,671)
Hispanic / Latino2.7%(787)
Asian1%(282)
Other2.1%(634)
Diversity Score
63
+7%since 2009
from 59 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
51
+8%since 2020
from 47 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.2%(662)
Venezuelan0.2%(53)
Puerto Rican0.1%(42)
Asian origin
Filipino0.3%(95)
Vietnamese0.3%(83)
Chinese0.1%(34)
Asian Indian0.1%(31)
Pakistani0.1%(24)
Japanese0.1%(15)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(3)
Ancestry
American7.5%(2,224)
English5.5%(1,623)
Irish4.3%(1,276)
Italian2.6%(776)
German1.5%(447)
Scottish1%(295)
French0.8%(245)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(222)
Dutch0.6%(183)
Swedish0.5%(146)
Slovene0.3%(75)
+ 14 more ancestry groups with data
Nigerian0.3%(75)
Arab0.2%(62)
Polish0.2%(62)
Lebanese0.1%(38)
Norwegian0.1%(38)
Moroccan0.1%(24)
Welsh0.1%(19)
Slovak0%(7)
British0%(4)
Russian0%(2)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
28.0%
+9.2 ptssince 2000
from 18.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
84.9%
+19.6 ptssince 2000
from 65.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
12.5%
+5.6 ptssince 2000
from 6.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
20.1 min
+50%since 2000
from 13.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
86.1%
+7.5 ptssince 2009
from 78.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.8%
−2.9 ptssince 2009
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
2.4%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.4%
−3.0 ptssince 2009
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
10.1%
−3.9 ptssince 2009
from 14.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
7.1%
−9.2 ptssince 2011
from 16.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
49.2%
−9.1 ptssince 2011
from 58.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
60.6%
+2.6 ptssince 2020
from 58.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
19.3%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 20.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
35.2%
+5.3 ptssince 2009
from 29.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
46.4%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 46.7% in 2009
Female
53.6%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 53.3% in 2009
Foreign born
1.7%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
3.2%
−2.7 ptssince 2009
from 5.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
18.9%
+6.0 ptssince 2012
from 12.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
11.2%
−8.0 ptssince 2013
from 19.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
77.9%
+23.5 ptssince 2017
from 54.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
91.3%
+9.7 ptssince 2020
from 81.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
90.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 90.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
97.0%
+0.2 ptssince 2016
from 96.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
2.0%
+0.1 ptssince 2016
from 1.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married47.1%(5,032)
Married38.7%(4,134)
Widowed4.2%(446)
Divorced10.1%(1,078)
Women 15+
Never married43.5%(5,584)
Married31.1%(3,992)
Widowed11.4%(1,467)
Divorced13.9%(1,781)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
11.2%
−8.0 ptssince 2013
from 19.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
35.5%
+2.9 ptssince 2020
from 32.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.7%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 14.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
22.2%
+2.5 ptssince 2020
from 19.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
38.1%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 36.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 1.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
47.9%
+3.2 ptssince 2020
from 44.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
52.3%
+3.2 ptssince 2020
from 49.1% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

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)34.6%(247)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)33.6%(240)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era24.6%(176)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0%(0)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II2.7%(19)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 714 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
Drill deeper

Places similar to Bolivar County

Sumter County
Pop 28,801
Johnson County
Pop 26,225
St. Francis County
Pop 21,800
Dallas County
Pop 35,140
Places similar to Bolivar County
Head to head

Compare Bolivar County to nearby counties

BOLIVAR COUNTY VS
Desha County
Income$37,662−5%
Home value$90,900−30%
Population9,984−65%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BOLIVAR COUNTY VS
Sunflower County
Income$39,956+1%
Home value$100,300−23%
Population22,893−19%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BOLIVAR COUNTY VS
Coahoma County
Income$37,461−5%
Home value$90,300−31%
Population19,849−30%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BOLIVAR COUNTY VS
Washington County
Income$42,165+7%
Home value$104,000−20%
Population40,446+43%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Bolivar County, Mississippi?

Bolivar County, Mississippi has about 29,534 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Bolivar County, Mississippi?

The typical household in Bolivar County, Mississippi earns about $39,585 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Bolivar County, Mississippi expensive?

In Bolivar County, Mississippi, the median home is worth about $130,000, and the typical rent is about $685 a month.

How educated are people in Bolivar County, Mississippi?

About 28.0% of adults age 25 and over in Bolivar County, Mississippi hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Bolivar County, Mississippi?

About 32.6% of people in Bolivar County, Mississippi live below the federal poverty line.

Has Bolivar County, Mississippi grown since 1990?

Yes, Bolivar County, Mississippi has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 12,341 residents, a change of about -29 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Bolivar County, Mississippi: demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy