The Town FilesBolt, West Virginia
Community in Raleigh County · population 518 (2020 Census)
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 80.3
Bolt is a community of 518 people in Raleigh County, West Virginia. It ranks better for families than 91% of West Virginia towns.
How Bolt ranks
Percentile among West Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of West Virginia towns.
Homes and cost of living
100.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bolt | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $125,000 |
| Median rent | — | $811 |
| Median household income | — | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 100.0% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1993 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bolt
| People | Bolt | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 80.3 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 100.0% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 0.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.9% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 0.0% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 0.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | — | 6.6% |
| Average commute | — min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 100.0% | 86.7% |
Weather in Bolt
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows 19.3°F. About 43.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 32.4 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 139 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Bolt since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. The strongest, an F1, struck on March 14, 1967 about 3.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 14, 1967.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on March 18, 2021.
Severe weather in Raleigh County since 1996
Raleigh County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3639: Severe Winter Storm |
| February 26, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4861: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4517: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3450: Covid-19 |
| March 31, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4210: Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Raleigh County
Raleigh County had 32,322 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,223 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023.
Public schools in Bolt
1 public school with 399 students, about 18.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairdale Elementary School | PK-5 | 399 | 18.1 |
Towns near Bolt
- Kopperston, WV8.8 mi · 569 people · home $48,900
- Sophia, WV9.7 mi · 1,130 people · home $116,900
- Crab Orchard, WV10.2 mi · 2,416 people · home $168,200
- Mabscott, WV11.1 mi · 1,341 people · home $159,700
- MacArthur, WV11.7 mi · 1,376 people · home $160,800
- Mullens, WV12.5 mi · 1,480 people · home $78,600
- Coal City, WV12.5 mi · 1,689 people · home $9,999
- Oceana, WV12.6 mi · 1,449 people · home $66,900
Bolt questions
Is Bolt, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bolt scores better for retirees than 52% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 48%. 100.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 80.3).
What is the weather like in Bolt?
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows 19.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.4 inches of precipitation a year and 32.4 inches of snow.
Does Bolt get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Bolt since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on March 14, 1967. The typical West Virginia 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)