Bolivar receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bolivar
Tahlequah
Opportunity
62 · Top 38%
vs57 · Top 48%
Growth
55 · Top 42%
vs54 · Top 43%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs66 · Bottom 37%
Physical resilience
42 · Bottom 33%
vs37 · Bottom 30%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 44%
vs87 · Top 39%
Access
81 · Bottom 23%
vs74 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
35 · Bottom 12%
vs44 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Bolivar | Tahlequah | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,170 | 16,935 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,622 | $49,581 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,785 | $28,232 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,358/sq mi | 1,327/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $201,600 | $185,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $812 | $835 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.0% | 40.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | -0.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.9% | 34.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.8% | 18.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 44 | 30 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.9 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -77.8% | -6.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.7" | 51.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 25 mi | 45 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 18.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.1 | 29.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Bolivar
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, strong wind, cold wave.
Tahlequah
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, drought.
Full profiles: Bolivar, MO · Tahlequah, OK · How this is calculated: methodology