Households in Bolt have drawn federal disaster aid in 7 declared disasters, most recently in 2025. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 81% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 90% come from inland flooding.

81risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland flooding

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageBolt’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesVery high risk Flood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on record Past disasters7 federal disasters · Paid out in Bolt Get ready1.7 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Work & commute

Bolt has 0.3 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out

The top destinations are Beckley (18%), Charleston (5%) and Sophia (4%). Jobs based in Bolt fell to 32 in 2023, 58 fewer than in 2013. Half the trips to work are shorter than 14 miles.

0%work in town

Where working residents work

In Bolt0%

Beckley18%

Charleston5%

Sophia4%

Pineville3%

14 mi

median commute distance

jobs based in Bolt

A commuter town

jobs vs. working residents

Full pageBolt’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here32 jobs based here · A commuter town Where people work0% work in Bolt Commute timesCommute times How far they goHalf commute less than 14 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

Expect snowy winters and pleasant summers in Bolt

The peak summer temperature for Bolt comes to 81°F, below both the West Virginia town median (86°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F).

56″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter25–43°

Spring41–63°

Summer59–80°

Fall43–64°

Oct 21

typical first frost

Apr 22

typical last frost

+0.8°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageBolt’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 81°, January lows 23°Rain & snow56″ of snow a winter · 50 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+0.8° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Housing

A larger share of households are owner-occupiers in Bolt than in most of West Virginia or the rest of the country

A typical home in Bolt is worth about $152,000, down 1.6% in a year, 14% below the West Virginia typical home.

$152KZillow home value

Typical home value

Bolt$152K

West Virginia$177K

−1.6%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in March

Full pageBolt’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsDown 1.6% in a year Years of income to buyYears of income to buy RentsRents

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Health

Bolt stands out in West Virginia and nationally: a larger share of its adults report frequent physical distress

Among adults in Bolt, 38% feel lonely, against 34% in West Virginia’s towns and 33% across U.S. towns. The share of adults in Bolt who say their health is fair or poor: 30%. Only one of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare has a higher share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Bolt.

	Bolt	West Virginia towns	U.S. towns
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)	24%	21%	17%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)	20%	17%	14%
Depression (CDC PLACES)	34%	31%	23%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)	23%	18%	14%