Median Income
$80,125
household / year
Median Home Value
$238,000
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,526
gross / month
Cost of Living
109
national avg = 100

Is Bolivar, WV a Good Place to Live?

Bolivar is a small town of 1,283 in West Virginia, with a median household income of $80,125 and a 5.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.

Strengths: Bolivar stands out for below-average home prices, a well-educated population.

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

All Bolivar 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

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

Metric Bolivar, WV National Avg
Median Home Value $238,000 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,526 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 60.5% 65.9%
Median Household Income $80,125 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Bolivar's violent crime rate is 66.5 per 100,000 residents — 82% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
66.5 /100k
Property Crime
467.2 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Metric Bolivar, WV National Avg
School District N/A —
Elementary Schools N/A —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio N/A 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 37.9% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 94.5% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Bolivar sees average highs of 41.2°F in January and 86.1°F in July, with 43.3 inches of annual precipitation and 23.1 inches of snow per year.

MetricBolivar, WV
Average High — January41.2°F
Average High — July86.1°F
Annual Precipitation43.3"
Annual Snowfall23.1"

Demographics

MetricBolivar, WVNational Avg
Population1,283—
Median Age39.938.9
Unemployment Rate5.6%3.7%
Avg Commute Time36.4 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)90.9%59.3%
Black or African American1.6%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino2.3%18.9%
Asian0.5%6.3%
Under 1820.0%22.2%
65 and over13.3%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Harpers Ferry, WV 1 mi Sandy Hook, MD 3 mi Dargan, MD 4 mi Garretts Mill, MD 4 mi Shenandoah Junction, WV 5 mi

Bolivar vs Other Cities

Bolivar, WV vs Harpers Ferry, WV Bolivar, WV vs Sandy Hook, MD Bolivar, WV vs Dargan, MD Bolivar, WV vs Garretts Mill, MD Bolivar, WV vs Shenandoah Junction, WV

Frequently Asked Questions

Bolivar's cost of living index is 109, where 100 is the national average. That puts Bolivar roughly 9% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $238,000 and median rent is $1,526/month.
Bolivar's violent crime rate is 66.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 467.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Bolivar, WV has a population of 1,283, a median household income of $80,125, and an unemployment rate of 5.6%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Bolivar averages 41.2°F in January and 86.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 43.3 inches with about 23.1 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Bolivar, West Virginia is 1,283 with a median age of 39.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Bolivar: cost of living index 109 (100 = US average), median home $238,000, median household income $80,125, crime index 19 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Bolivar side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.