Carthage receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Carthage
Bolivar
Opportunity
65 · Top 32%
vs62 · Top 38%
Growth
50 · Bottom 49%
vs55 · Top 42%
Climate
71 · Top 45%
vs72 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs42 · Bottom 33%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 34%
vs84 · Top 44%
Access
68 · Bottom 11%
vs81 · Bottom 23%
Economic stability
33 · Bottom 9%
vs35 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Carthage | Bolivar | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,574 | 11,170 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,328 | $49,622 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,235 | $29,785 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,287/sq mi | 1,358/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $146,800 | $201,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $975 | $812 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.0% | 54.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.0% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.1% | 27.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 27.2% | 18.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 60 | 44 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.9 | 3.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -27.7% | -77.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.6" | 44.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 52 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.0 min | 23.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.2 | 34.1 | 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
Carthage
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, tornado, drought.
Bolivar
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, strong wind, cold wave.
Full profiles: Carthage, MO · Bolivar, MO · How this is calculated: methodology