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.
History
Bolivar was named for South American revolutionary leader Simón Bolívar. 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.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and 0.12% is water.
Demographics
As of the 2020 census, Bolivar had a population of 5,205, with 2,133 households and 1,183 families residing in the city.
Racial and ethnic composition
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Bolivar city, Tennessee – Racial and ethnic composition<br><small></small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(NH = Non-Hispanic)</small>
!Pop 2000
!Pop 2010
!
!% 2000
!% 2010
!
|-
|White alone (NH)
|2,439
|1,907
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,606
|42.04%
|35.20%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |30.85%
|-
|Black or African American alone (NH)
|3,264
|3,315
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,303
|56.26%
|61.20%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |63.46%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)
|4
|10
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5
|0.07%
|0.18%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.10%
|-
|Asian alone (NH)
|25
|55
|style='background: #ffffe6; |40
|0.43%
|1.02%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.77%
|-
|Pacific Islander alone (NH)
|1
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3
|0.02%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.06%
|-
|Some Other Race alone (NH)
|1
|9
|style='background: #ffffe6; |15
|0.02%
|0.17%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.29%
|-
|Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH)
|33
|48
|style='background: #ffffe6; |138
|0.57%
|0.89%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.65%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|35
|73
|style='background: #ffffe6; |95
|0.60%
|1.35%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.83%
|-
|Total
|5,802
|5,417
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5,205
|100.00%
|100.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%
|}
2020 census
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.
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census
! Race !! Number !! Percent
|-
| White || 1,627 || 31.3%
|-
| Black or African American || 3,315 || 63.7%
|-
| American Indian and Alaska Native || 5 || 0.1%
|-
| Asian || 40 || 0.8%
|-
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 3 || 0.1%
|-
| Some other race || 52 || 1.0%
|-
| Two or more races || 163 || 3.1%
|-
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 95 || 1.8%
|}
2000 census
As of the census
Transportation
Bolivar is served by the county-owned William L. Whitehurst Field airport.
Notable people
- Wayne Chism, former basketball player for the University of Tennessee Volunteers, lived in Bolivar and played high school basketball at Bolivar Central High School.
- Wayne Farris, known as Pro Wrestler The Honky Tonk Man, lived in Bolivar.
- Campbell Gray, Episcopal Bishop of Northern Indiana
- Odell Horton, United States district judge for the district of Western Tennessee
- Wayne Haddix, former National Football League defensive back, born in Bolivar and played high school football at nearby Middleton High School.
- Willie Kemp, former basketball player for the University of Memphis, lived in Bolivar and played high school basketball at Bolivar Central High School.
- Elizabeth Avery Meriwether, suffragist and writer
- Lynn Norment, journalist, editor and writer for Ebony magazine
- Joe Reaves, former basketball player for the Phoenix Suns, lived in Bolivar and played high school basketball at Bolivar Central High School.
- William E. Troutt, 19th president of Rhodes College
See also
- Bolivar Female Academy