Town · West Virginia
Bolivar, West Virginia
Bolivar, town, in Jefferson County, West Virginia. Bolivar had 983 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 5.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,036 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,215 (±263). GEOID 5408932.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
983
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,036 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,215 ±263
Median household income
$83,068
±$19,876 (90% margin)
West Virginia: $59,608
Median home value
$251,600
±$24,010 (90% margin)
West Virginia: $162,600
Median gross rent
$1,505
±$222 (90% margin)
West Virginia: $872
Where is Bolivar and what county is it in?
Bolivar is a town in Jefferson County, West Virginia. It covers 0.4 square miles of land, 2,393 residents per square mile in 2020.
Bolivar is in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 23 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Bolivar, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 983 people lived in Bolivar on July 1, 2025, down 5.2% since 2020, a steeper fall than West Virginia's (−1.5%). The 2020 Census counted 1,036 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,215 (±263).
| Measure | Bolivar | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,215 ±263 | 59,260 | no clear change |
| Households | 529 ±93 | 22,804 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.30 ±0.31 | 2.55 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 608 ±99 | 24,774 | no clear change |
Bolivar's population since 2000
From 1,045 in 2000 to 983 in 2025: down 5.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Bolivar as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Bolivar?
The median resident of Bolivar is 39.3 years old; 21.0% are under 18 and 12.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 81.9%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 7.3%.
| Measure | Bolivar | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.3 ±4.8 | 41.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.0% ±5.8 pts | 21.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 12.9% ±4.7 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Male | 51.0% ±6.3 pts | 49.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.3% ±5.0 pts | 7.8% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 81.9% ±6.7 pts | 79.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 3.9% ±3.6 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 1.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.6% ±4.6 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.8% ±2.9 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 5.6% ±3.5 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.4% ±3.2 pts | 9.7% | – |
| With a disability | 15.5% ±6.0 pts | 12.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.1% ±2.3 pts | 6.0% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.1% ±4.1 pts | 90.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 35.9% ±8.1 pts | 33.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 13.9% ±7.0 pts | 12.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.0% ±4.9 pts | 89.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.7% ±2.1 pts | 5.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Bolivar earn?
Half of Bolivar's 529 households earn less than $83,068 a year (±$19,876), against $98,806 in Jefferson County and $59,608 in West Virginia. In 2015-2019 it was $89,033 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 10.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Bolivar | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $83,068 ±$19,876 | $98,806 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $95,211 ±$14,012 | $120,421 | – |
| Per capita income | $42,670 ±$6,794 | $46,514 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 10.5% ±4.8 pts | 8.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 7.1% ±6.8 pts | 11.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.9% ±4.8 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 88.5% ±7.1 pts | 96.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 77.3% ±10.5 pts | 92.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Bolivar?
Owners occupy 57.5% of Bolivar's occupied homes and renters 42.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $251,600 by its owner (±$24,010). The median renter pays $1,505 a month including utilities, and 39.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Bolivar | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $251,600 ±$24,010 | $350,800 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,505 ±$222 | $1,108 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 39.4% ±17.2 pts | 32.0% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,540 ±$247 | $1,811 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 57.5% ±10.0 pts | 80.3% | −16.8 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 42.5% ±10.0 pts | 19.7% | – |
| Housing units | 608 ±99 | 24,774 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±11.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.2% ±9.0 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 60.9% ±9.2 pts | 77.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±6.0 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±6.0 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.6% ±1.7 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 20.4% ±6.9 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.8% ±4.2 pts | 5.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Bolivar building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Bolivar in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 2.2 across West Virginia.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Bolivar work and get to work?
73.9% of Bolivar's workers drive alone and 17.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 36.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.7%.
| Measure | Bolivar | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 72.3% ±8.5 pts | 64.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% ±3.5 pts | 3.9% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 73.9% ±8.9 pts | 69.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.2% ±2.7 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.2% ±1.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 3.0% ±2.5 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 17.7% ±6.5 pts | 17.3% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 36.9 min ±5.6 | 37.1 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Bolivar?
No census tract lies mostly in Bolivar; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9726.01Jefferson County | 2,080 | $82,727 |
| Tract 9726.02Jefferson County | 4,481 | $119,605 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Bolivar) · Census block assignment files
How does Bolivar compare with other places in West Virginia?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Bolivar is the 10,329th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 101st-most populous of 230 in West Virginia.
Bolivar ranks 14th of 138 places in West Virginia with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 101st | 230 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 61st | 102 |
| Residents per square mile | 19th | 146 |
| Median household income | 14th | 138 |
| Per capita income | 16th | 144 |
| Median home value | 15th | 142 |
| Median gross rent | 3rd | 123 |
| Poverty rate | 94th | 111 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21st | 135 |
| Median age | 107th | 146 |
| Owner-occupied share | 119th | 146 |
| Work from home | 6th | 53 |
| Travel time to work | 3rd | 145 |
Bolivar's figures with every place in West Virginia (CSV)
Every place in West Virginia, sortable · Compare Bolivar with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Bolivar?
16 of the 57 figures for Bolivar on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Bolivar are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Bolivar.