Bolivar, officially the City of Bolivar, is a city in and the county seat of Hardeman County, Tennessee, United States. As of the 2020 census, Bolivar had a population of 5,205.
Bolivar was named for South American revolutionary leader Simón BolÃÂvar. The area is home to several historic properties and historic districts among the National Register of Historic Places listings in Hardeman County, Tennessee including Bolivar Court Square Historic District, Western State Hospital Historic District, North Main Street Historic District, and the Bills-McNeal Historic District.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and 0.12% is water.
As of the 2020 census, Bolivar had a population of 5,205, with 2,133 households and 1,183 families residing in the city.
As of the 2020 census, the median age was 41.5 years. 22.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 82.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 79.8 males age 18 and over.
The 2020 census counted 2,133 households in Bolivar, of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 28.3% were married-couple households, 19.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 47.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 36.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
The 2020 census recorded 2,395 housing units, of which 10.9% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.2%.
According to the 2020 census, 92.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 7.1% lived in rural areas.
As of the census of 2000, there was a population of 5,802, with 2,161 households and 1,462 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 2,352 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 56.39% African American, 42.33% White, 0.50% Asian, 0.07% Native American, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from two or more races, and 0.07% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.60% of the population.
There were 2,161 households, out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.0% were married couples living together, 24.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.7% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,651, and the median income for a family was $35,298. Males had a median income of $30,442 versus $21,544 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,973. About 19.5% of families and 23.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.7% of those under age 18 and 28.6% of those age 65 or over.
The climate in this area is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Bolivar has a Humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
Bolivar is served by the county-owned William L. Whitehurst Field airport.