The Town FilesBolivar Peninsula, Texas
Community in Galveston County · population 2,769 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $315,500
- Household income
- $75,547
- Jan low / Jul high
- 43° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 62.5
Bolivar Peninsula is a community of 2,769 people in Galveston County, Texas. The median home is worth $315,500, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks quieter than 100% of Texas towns, better for a vacation home than 98% of Texas towns, more seaside character than 98% of Texas towns.
How Bolivar Peninsula ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bolivar Peninsula is worth $315,500, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $75,547, which is more affordable than 13% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,648 a month. 95.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bolivar Peninsula | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $315,500 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,648 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $75,547 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 95.4% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 2006 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 37.1% | — |
Who lives in Bolivar Peninsula
| People | Bolivar Peninsula | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 62.5 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 38.2% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 7.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.9% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.2% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 18.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.5% | — |
| Work from home | 4.3% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 52.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.3% | 89.2% |
Weather in Bolivar Peninsula
July highs average 90.7°F and January lows 43.2°F. About 59.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 68 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 11 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bolivar Peninsula since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on October 28, 1974 about 5.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 2, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 5, 1974.
Severe weather in Galveston County since 1996
Galveston County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 9, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4798: Hurricane Beryl |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| December 9, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4572: Hurricane Laura |
| August 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
Jobs and pay in Galveston County
Galveston County had 122,734 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,650 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Bolivar Peninsula itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Bolivar Peninsula
- Texas City, TX19.9 mi · 51,898 people · home $217,300
- San Leon, TX22.4 mi · 6,135 people · home $183,100
- Beach City, TX24.0 mi · 3,221 people · home $496,900
- Winnie, TX25.2 mi · 3,162 people · home $166,500
- Bacliff, TX25.3 mi · 9,677 people · home $201,500
- Seabrook, TX26.4 mi · 13,618 people · home $350,000
- La Marque, TX26.9 mi · 18,030 people · home $206,900
- El Lago, TX29.2 mi · 3,090 people · home $320,900
Bolivar Peninsula questions
Is Bolivar Peninsula, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bolivar Peninsula scores better for retirees than 87% of Texas towns and quieter than 100%. 38.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 62.5).
How much does a house cost in Bolivar Peninsula?
The median owner-occupied home in Bolivar Peninsula is valued at $315,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,547, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $1,648 a month.
What is the weather like in Bolivar Peninsula?
July highs average 90.7°F and January lows 43.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 59.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Bolivar Peninsula get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bolivar Peninsula since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on October 28, 1974. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- 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)