The Town FilesBolivar, New York
Town in Allegany County · population 2,029 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $80,600
- Household income
- $58,548
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 60 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 42.3
Bolivar is a town of 2,029 people in Allegany County, New York. The median home is worth $80,600, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for a vacation home than 80% of New York towns, quieter than 77% of New York towns, better for first-time buyers than 72% of New York towns.
How Bolivar ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bolivar is worth $80,600, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $58,548, which is more affordable than 99% of New York towns. Median rent is $814 a month. 72.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bolivar | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $80,600 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $814 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $58,548 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 72.5% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1942 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.1% | — |
Who lives in Bolivar
| People | Bolivar | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.3 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.8% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.8% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.3% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 9.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 9.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.7% | 91.1% |
Weather in Bolivar
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 10.9°F. About 43.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 60.3 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 175 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bolivar since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on September 6, 2024 about 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 6, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on May 23, 2013.
Severe weather in Allegany County since 1996
Allegany County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 24, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4825: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 8, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4625: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| July 8, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4180: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Allegany County
Allegany County had 13,565 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,004 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Bolivar itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Towns near Bolivar
- Sharon, PA4.0 mi · 784 people · home $142,800
- Bolivar, NY4.0 mi · 1,010 people · home $71,900
- Shinglehouse, PA4.5 mi · 1,103 people · home $78,400
- Genesee, NY6.2 mi · 1,633 people · home $104,600
- Alma, NY6.3 mi · 781 people · home $84,200
- Ceres, PA7.4 mi · 846 people · home $98,800
- Wirt, NY7.5 mi · 1,049 people · home $81,600
- Clarksville, NY10.4 mi · 976 people · home $90,200
Bolivar questions
Is Bolivar, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bolivar scores better for retirees than 55% of New York towns and quieter than 77%. 19.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.3).
How much does a house cost in Bolivar?
The median owner-occupied home in Bolivar is valued at $80,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,548, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $814 a month.
What is the weather like in Bolivar?
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 10.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.1 inches of precipitation a year and 60.3 inches of snow.
Does Bolivar get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bolivar since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on September 6, 2024. The typical New York town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)