Bolivar County, Mississippi Income Statistics
Bolivar County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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F
Bolivar County Well below averageLess wealthy than 84% of counties in Mississippi
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Bolivar County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $39,667 | $56,669 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $42,455 | $48,086 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.6% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.5% | 7.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.8% | 5.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Bolivar County is about 30% lower than in Mississippi. Income has been growing faster in Bolivar County (4.6%/yr) than in Mississippi (4.3%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Bolivar County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Mississippi average of 7%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Bolivar County, Mississippi grew by 59.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $39,667 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Bolivar County
| Metric | Bolivar County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.595 | 0.566 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $54,939 | $56,525 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $41,320 | $43,645 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 24.8% | 22.8% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Bolivar County, it is 0.595, higher than Mississippi's 0.566, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 33% more than women's income in Bolivar County, Mississippi. Over a 35-year career, a 33% wage gap accumulates to roughly $476,665 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Bolivar County, Mississippi has widened from about 14% to 25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2020, and was narrowest at 9% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $9,207 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Bolivar County widened by 11.0 points while Mississippi's narrowed by 2.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | Bolivar County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.1% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 2.4% | 5.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 15 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 807 people are unemployed in Bolivar County, Mississippi.
The average commute time in Bolivar County is 15 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in Mississippi.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Bolivar County, Mississippi has fallen from 16.2% to 7.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 17.5% in 2013 and fell as low as 6.7% in 2021.
Bolivar County, MS Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Bolivar County, MS is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 29,520 residents against a local median of 24,333. Where Bolivar County, MS breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 28% below the local median of 9.9% at 7.1%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 5.3% on unemployment, so Bolivar County, MS sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Bolivar County, MS has the 2nd lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bolivar County, MS | 29,520 | $39,667 #3/6 | 4.6%/yr #4/6 | 7.1% #2/6 | 0.595 #5/6 |
| Sunflower County, MS | 24,333 | $39,946 | 4.8%/yr | 11.2% | 0.608 |
| Desha County, AR | 10,741 | $38,194 | 4.7%/yr | 8.0% | 0.569 |
| Coahoma County, MS | 20,540 | $37,529 | 3.8%/yr | 9.9% | 0.574 |
| Washington County, MS | 42,708 | $41,953 | 5.0%/yr | 6.3% | 0.578 |
| Leflore County, MS | 27,141 | $35,350 | 4.3%/yr | 11.6% | 0.582 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Bolivar County, Mississippi has an overall wealth index grade of F, making it somewhat worse than Mississippi, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Bolivar County, Mississippi.
How Rich Is Bolivar County, Mississippi?
Bolivar County has a wealth index grade of F. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an F grade means residents are well below the U.S. average. The median household income is $39,667, about 30% lower than the Mississippi average of $56,669.
Are incomes growing in Bolivar County, Mississippi?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Bolivar County, Mississippi rose 59%, from $24,917 to $39,667. Over the same years, income here outpaced Mississippi as a whole: +59% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Bolivar County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Bolivar County, Mississippi was $37,183, down 2% from $37,970 in 2022. The Mississippi median that year was $55,083.
What was the median household income in Bolivar County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Bolivar County, Mississippi was $33,071. By 2024 it had risen 20% to $39,667.
What is the Gini coefficient in Bolivar County, Mississippi?
The Gini coefficient in Bolivar County is 0.595. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Bolivar County, Mississippi?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Bolivar County, Mississippi has widened from about 14% to 25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2020, and was narrowest at 9% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $9,207 since 2009.
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