Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Bolivar earns a D−, in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns, mostly because of safety and health. It reports more crime per resident than 99% of U.S. towns, including 86 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 98% of the country. It also has a long history, with 5 places on the National Register. Bolivar’s violent crime rate is 17 per 1,000 residents, where Tennessee’s towns sit at 2.6 and U.S. towns at 1.6. On incomes, just 21 of Tennessee’s 291 towns do worse. Its National Register listings include Western State Hospital Historic District and Bolivar Court Square Historic District.
Where Bolivar beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Tennessee), ordered by how far Bolivar is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 626 in 1850, 5,205 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1896 and 2 maps from 1961 on.
5 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bolivar, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Bolivar.
Bolivar reports violent crime at 3 times the Tennessee rate, but it has household incomes well below the Tennessee norm.
Violent crime runs at 17 per 1,000 residents, 3 times the Tennessee rate; the Safety Grade counts each violent crime four times, so this weighs most on its D−.
Bolivar reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 99% report less. The property crime rate in Bolivar is 25.3 per 1,000 residents.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Its public schools are run by the Hardeman County Schools. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Central High School, with 663 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bolivar ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 670 | C |
| Central High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 663 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TN on state tests and graduation
20% of Bolivar adults have diabetes. Only 5 of the 176 Tennessee towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Bolivar. 46% of Bolivar adults have obesity.
| Bolivar | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 14% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 14% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 38% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 50% | 41% | 35% |
| What stands out | Bolivar | TN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10.2% | 14.6% |
| More adults getting a yearly checkup | 82.5% | 78.1% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 15.8% | 9.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The typical Bolivar home is worth about $149,000, about the same as a year ago, 55% below the Tennessee typical home. 57% of households own their home in Bolivar.
| Bolivar | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 57% | 66% | 73% |
| Median rent | $808 a month | $950 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Bolivar has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Bolivar’s July high is 90°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 66% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Bolivar since 2010.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
About one in 4 of Bolivar’s working residents works in town. Since 2013, Bolivar has added 617 jobs, to 2,908 in 2023. Among 177 Tennessee towns, just 6 have a lower median household income than Bolivar.
| Bolivar | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 27% | 12% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 22% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $39,000 | $61,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
1.2 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Pleasant Run Creek Park, at 25 acres.
| Bolivar | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.2% | 1.8% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pleasant Run Creek Park | 0.2 mi | 25 |
| 2. Sand Beach Lake Park | — | 9 |
| 3. Bolivar Courthouse Square | 0.1 mi | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Bolivar; the nearest are
About 6 of every 100 Bolivar residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Tennessee.
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Bolivar grades D− overall, in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns. It grades D− for health, D− for safety and D for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D−.
That is 3.2 years of the area's median household income ($46,069 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
