States › Tennessee › Bolivar

Is Bolivar, TN expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 24 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$85052% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$42,092about $3,508/month · 52% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$150,20055% lower than U.S. average

Rent here is among the lowest 10% of all U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.6 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $34,000 a year. That is $16 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Tennessee cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Tennessee. It is number 18 of 114 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Bolivar
$850
Madisonville
$1,001
Pleasant View
$1,918
Smithville
$960
Medina
$1,269
Ashland City
$1,406
Mount Carmel
$677

How much do households earn in Bolivar?

Under $25k
23.0%
$25k–50k
37.2%
$50k–100k
27.7%
$100k–150k
3.8%
$150k+
3.4%

Share of households by yearly income. 7.2% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Bolivar

SizeBolivarU.S. average
2 bedrooms$779$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,009$1,698

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

How expensive is Bolivar overall?

Everyday prices in Tennessee overall are 8% below the U.S. average (index 91.9, U.S. = 100).

Housing
79
Goods (food, clothes…)
96
Utilities
72
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 Tennessee figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Bolivar

🏛️ Property tax$771a year · 0.51% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$168a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Bolivar

Commute to work29.5 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree15.1%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home57.1%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line21.7%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment13.2%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bolivar?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $192 a month less.

Renting
$850
Owning
$1,042

Owning assumes a typical $150,200 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $15,020 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Bolivar, TN?

Renting in Bolivar costs a median of about $850 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Tennessee median is $1,279.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $34,000 a year, or $16 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Bolivar cheap or expensive?

Bolivar is rated OK: rent takes 24.2% of the typical household income of $42,092. It ranks 18th cheapest of 114 Tennessee cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Bolivar?

The median homeowner in Bolivar pays $771 a year in property taxes, about 0.51% of the median home value.

Is Bolivar more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Tennessee are 8% 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 $150,200, about 3.6 times the typical yearly household income.

5,144 people live in Bolivar. Numbers are typical (middle) values.