City · Polk County, Missouri

Bolivar, Missouri

Bolivar is a city in Polk County, Missouri, part of the Springfield, MO metro area. It has 11,170 residents. Bolivar, Missouri has a quality-of-life score of 22 out of 100 (low), ranking #12,179 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Missouri it ranks #324 of 375 cities and towns. It ranks best on job growth (high), preventable hospital stays (low) and drinking water violations (low). It ranks worst on flu vaccinations (low), restaurants and bars (low) and dental care shortage (high).

22Low

Quality-of-life score: #12,179 of 15,651 cities and towns
Missouri: #324 of 375 in MO
Population: 11,170 (2020-2024)
Land area: 8 mi²
Density: 1,357.6 /mi²
FIPS code: 2906976

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 74 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety28#11,181/15,637
Economy20#12,576/15,631
Housing59#6,098/14,977
Health15#13,323/15,609
Healthcare23#12,035/15,650
Environment64#5,615/15,453
Education51#7,744/15,649
Infrastructure30#10,941/15,650
Community36#9,974/15,651
Leisure & amenities4#15,028/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Bolivar, Missouri ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Polk County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Job growth · high5.4%
98/100Missouri 0.1%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional dataPolk County value
Preventable hospital stays · low1,677 /100k
94/100Missouri 3,034 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstitutePolk County value
Drinking water violations · low0
86/100Missouri 0United States 02024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstitutePolk County value
Effective property tax rate · low0.57%
82/100Missouri 0.89%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Public libraries · high1.2 /10k
81/100Missouri 0.6 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesPolk County value
Students per teacher · low12.4×
79/100Missouri 12.7×United States 15.2×2024National Center for Education StatisticsPolk County value

Weaknesses

Flu vaccinations · low25.0%
3/100Missouri 44.0%United States 44.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstitutePolk County value
Restaurants and bars · low4.2 /10k
5/100Missouri 8.6 /10kUnited States 9.0 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPolk County value
Dental care shortage · high18.0
6/100Missouri 9.4United States 5.7Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationPolk County value
Access to exercise opportunities · low42.5%
7/100Missouri 76.6%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstitutePolk County value
Average weekly wage · low$924
8/100Missouri $1,278United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPolk County value
Gyms and fitness centers · low0.3 /10k
10/100Missouri 1.2 /10kUnited States 1.3 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPolk County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Child poverty rateWorsening
10.6% (2015-2019) → 23.9% (2020-2024)
+13 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
New homes permittedImproving
2.7 /1k (2021) → 4.0 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
+49%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Home price to income ratioWorsening
2.9× (2015-2019) → 4.1× (2020-2024)
+40%5 yearsCensus table B25077US 3.5× → 4.1×
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
79.5% (2015-2019) → 85.6% (2020-2024)
+6.1 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Median household incomeImproving
$38,396 (2015-2019) → $49,622 (2020-2024)
+29%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
49.5% (2015-2019) → 54.9% (2020-2024)
+5.4 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Bolivar, Missouri improved on 1 of 14 measures with a comparison and declined on 3. 10 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved1

Household income+29%$38,396 → $49,622

Declined3

Child poverty+13 points10.6% → 23.9%
Inequality+0.0550.407 → 0.462
Price / income+1.2×2.9× → 4.1×

All 14 measures

Change of every measure of Bolivar, Missouri between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	19.6 min2015-2019	22.1 min2020-2024	+2.5 min	Within the margin of error	23%
Bachelor's degree or higher	23.7%2015-2019	27.9%2020-2024	+4.2 points	Within the margin of error	61%
Broadband subscriptions	79.5%2015-2019	85.6%2020-2024	+6.1 points	Within the margin of error	38%
Child poverty rate	10.6%2015-2019	23.9%2020-2024	+13 points	Declined	9%
Effective property tax rate	0.61%2015-2019	0.57%2020-2024	−0 points	Within the margin of error	23%
High school diploma or higher	91.2%2015-2019	90.3%2020-2024	−0.9 points	Within the margin of error	23%
Home price to income ratio	2.9×2015-2019	4.1×2020-2024	+1.2×	Declined	17%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4072015-2019	0.4622020-2024	+0.055	Declined	14%
Median household income	$38,3962015-2019	$49,6222020-2024	+29%	Improved	54%
Poverty rate	16.6%2015-2019	18.8%2020-2024	+2.2 points	Within the margin of error	25%
Rent as share of income	29.8%2015-2019	31.2%2020-2024	+1.4 points	Within the margin of error	44%
Rent-burdened households	49.5%2015-2019	54.9%2020-2024	+5.4 points	Within the margin of error	36%
Unemployment rate	3.8%2015-2019	4.7%2020-2024	+0.9 points	Within the margin of error	32%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	12.9%2015-2019	14.0%2020-2024	+1.2 points	Within the margin of error	33%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Bolivar, Missouri five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Bolivar, Missouri in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Bolivar, Missouri itself moved −11.3 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

11,170 residents (±39)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

4,475 households (±246)

Bolivar, Missouri
Missouri share

Under $25k25%1,136
$25k–50k25%1,118
$50k–75k16%†709

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

4,475 households (±246)

Bolivar, Missouri
Missouri share

Own54%2,417
Rent46%2,058

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

4,953 workers (±388)

Bolivar, Missouri
Missouri share

Drive alone77%3,811
Carpool7.7%†382
Public transit0.1%†

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Springfield, MO

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Polk County, the county holding most of Bolivar's residents.

Polk County has 600 employer establishments, 182 for every 10,000 residents (0.73× the US rate of 248; 0.75× Missouri's), with 7,340 paid employees at an average annual pay of $42,139. The Census Bureau also counts 2,767 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 600; 2,767 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 182; US 248 · Missouri 244
Paid employees: 7,340
Average annual pay: $42,139; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Polk County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	56	17	1.10×About typical	342	$45,140	368
Restaurants and other eating places	45	13.7	0.74×Fewer than typical	723	$15,924	8
Truck transportation	27	8.2	1.62×More than typical	47	$36,553	126
Ambulatory health care services	26	7.9	0.38×Fewer than typical	252	$66,544	84
Religious organizations	26	7.9	1.42×More than typical	150	$17,000	—
Lessors of real estate	20	6.1	0.49×Fewer than typical	27	$30,074	242
Foundation, structure and building exterior contractors	19	5.8	1.83×More than typical	78	$41,205	68
Limited-service restaurants	19	5.8	0.72×Fewer than typical	473	$15,410	3
Automotive repair and maintenance	18	5.5	1.09×About typical	89	$49,034	66
Services to buildings and dwellings	17	5.2	0.77×Fewer than typical	177	$16,678	197
Full-service restaurants	16	4.9	0.63×Fewer than typical	211	$16,934	—
Building equipment contractors	15	4.6	0.76×Fewer than typical	154	$51,792	61

Rank places for an industry Open Polk County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 32,921 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated -$33.18 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Bolivar, Missouri: -$0.00 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: -$33.18
Per resident: -$0.00; US $1,994
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

SCIENCE APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION-$33.180.0%

Spending by fiscal year

4.5KFY2017
2.4KFY2018
3.1KFY2019
7.9KFY2020
3.6KFY2021
4.7KFY2022
-160.2FY2024
-33.2FY2026

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Bolivar, Missouri, so they do not add up across cities.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Bolivar is mostly in Polk County.

See federal money in Polk County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Bolivar, Missouri is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Mark AlfordR-MO-4 · 100% of residentsWith party 97%Missed 1.6%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Polk County25100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Springfield, MO49

Other cities and towns in Polk County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/2906976

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends