States › Missouri › Bolivar

Is Bolivar, MO expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 20 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$90149% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$53,517about $4,460/month · 39% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$201,60039% lower than U.S. average

Rent here is among the lowest 10% of all U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.8 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $36,040 a year. That is $17 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Missouri cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Missouri. It is number 16 of 142 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Bolivar
$901
Bridgeton
$1,512
Kearney
$1,768
Mexico
$759
Town and Country
$2,162
Smithville
$1,463
Bellefontaine Neighbors
$1,744

How much do households earn in Bolivar?

Under $25k
29.7%
$25k–50k
26.1%
$50k–100k
26.7%
$100k–150k
11.1%
$150k+
4.4%

Share of households by yearly income. 15.4% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Bolivar

SizeBolivarU.S. average
1 bedroom$637$1,324
2 bedrooms$881$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,209$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Bolivar overall?

Everyday prices in Missouri overall are 9% below the U.S. average (index 90.8, U.S. = 100).

Housing
70
Goods (food, clothes…)
96
Utilities
79
Other services
95
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Bolivar, so the Missouri figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Bolivar

🏛️ Property tax$1,093a year · 0.54% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$194a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Bolivar

Commute to work22.1 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree27.9%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home54%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line18.8%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment4.7%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bolivar?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $498 a month less.

Renting
$901
Owning
$1,399

Owning assumes a typical $201,600 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $20,160 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Bolivar, MO?

Renting in Bolivar costs a median of about $901 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Missouri median is $1,285.

How much do I need to make to live in Bolivar?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $36,040 a year, or $17 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Bolivar cheap or expensive?

Bolivar is rated OK: rent takes 20.2% of the typical household income of $53,517. It ranks 16th cheapest of 142 Missouri cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Bolivar?

The median homeowner in Bolivar pays $1,093 a year in property taxes, about 0.54% of the median home value.

Is Bolivar more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Missouri are 9% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Bolivar?

The median home value in Bolivar is $201,600, about 3.8 times the typical yearly household income.

11,170 people live in Bolivar. Numbers are typical (middle) values.