Ozark receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Ozark
Bolivar
Opportunity
80 · Top 7%
vs62 · Top 38%
Growth
72 · Top 14%
vs55 · Top 42%
Climate
72 · Top 40%
vs72 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
52 · Bottom 44%
vs42 · Bottom 33%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 19%
vs84 · Top 44%
Schools
93 · Top 2%
vs59 · Top 40%
Access
90 · Bottom 42%
vs81 · Bottom 23%
Economic stability
63 · Top 44%
vs35 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Ozark | Bolivar | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,417 | 11,170 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,182 | $49,622 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,257 | $29,785 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,845/sq mi | 1,358/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $254,800 | $201,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,097 | $812 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.6% | 54.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.0% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.7% | 27.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% | 18.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 180 | 44 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.0 | 3.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -1.6% | -77.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.5" | 44.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.8 min | 23.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.8 | 34.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.18 | 12.43 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 60.8% | 40.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 64.5% | 47.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 35.4% | 47.1% | 2024-25 school 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
Ozark
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, tornado, strong wind.
Bolivar
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, strong wind, cold wave.
Full profiles: Ozark, MO · Bolivar, MO · How this is calculated: methodology