Health · Bolivar
Bolivar, MO health
Bolivar differs from Missouri on 9 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more adults with COPD (9.8% vs 8%) and more adults without reliable transportation (10.2% vs 8.4%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for BolivarTownTapestry Health GradeNew
C−
Bolivar’s Health Grade: C−
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Bolivar is healthier than 21% of U.S. towns, and than 51% of towns with similar incomes.
C-Self-rated healthCPhysical distressDMental distressC+ObesityB-DiabetesC-SmokingDExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 21%
Less healthyHealthier
Missouri towns we grade (428)Healthier than 48%
Towns with similar incomes, $37K–$62K (5,288)Healthier than 51%
Better than its income would suggest. Bolivar is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is C−.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Bolivar could be anywhere from D− to B−.
How the Health Grade works
- Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Missouri ranking.
- Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
- Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Bolivar with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
- Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Bolivar uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card
How Bolivar compares with Missouri
Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.
Chronic conditions
37.6% have obesity
0 better9 close3 worse
Habits
33.1% get no exercise
0 better4 close0 worse
Care & screenings
77.6% had a checkup
0 better5 close2 worse
Mind & connection
33.6% feel lonely
0 better3 close2 worse
Everyday needs
16.4% face food insecurity
0 better3 close2 worse
Disability
41.3% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Bolivar adults…
36 of every 100 Bolivar adults have high blood pressure
Missouri: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 31.9–40.1%
Bars show Bolivar; the black tick is Missouri. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Bolivar, betterBolivar, worseToo close to callMissouri
Get no exerciseshare of adults
33.1% Bolivar
MO 28.8%
MO 28.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
38.3% Bolivar
MO 36.5%
MO 36.5%
Binge drinkshare of adults
16.3% Bolivar
MO 16.3%
MO 16.3%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
17.8% Bolivar
MO 16%
MO 16%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Bolivar adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.
Yearly checkup
MO 78%Dentist visit
MO 60%Cholesterol check
MO 85%Colon screening
MO 64%Mammogram
MO 75%Taking BP meds
MO 77%1 in 10
working-age adults has no health insurance
Bolivar 10.1% · Missouri 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection
How Bolivar adults are doing
1 in 3Bolivar adults feel lonely
33.6% · Missouri 31.7% · too close to call
1 in 4Bolivar adults have been diagnosed with depression
27.1% · Missouri 24.3% · too close to call
1 in 5Bolivar adults lack social or emotional support
19.5% · Missouri 20.1% · too close to call
1 in 5Bolivar adults are in frequent mental distress
20.1% · Missouri 17.5% · worse
Everyday needs
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
1 in 6
Bolivar adults worry about having enough food
16.4% · MO 13.7% · worse
1 in 8
Bolivar adults worry about keeping their housing
12.9% · MO 12.1% · about the same
1 in 10
Bolivar adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
9.8% · MO 9% · about the same
1 in 10
Bolivar adults lack reliable transportation
10.2% · MO 8.4% · worse
13.7% of Bolivar adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.
Disability
Living with a disability
41.3%
of Bolivar adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs18%
Thinking or memory21.1%
Hearing9.8%
Errands alone11.7%
Vision6.2%
Dressing or bathing4.5%
Black tick: Missouri. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Bolivar
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Bolivar, plus the nearest just outside it.
HNearest ERCitizens Memorial HospitalBolivar · 1.6 miDirections →
+Low-cost careOzarks Resource GroupBolivar · 0.8 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.8 mi
Ozarks Resource Group
6 sites · nearest in Bolivar
Ochc - Bolivar Dental ClinicBolivar · 0.8 mi
Ochc - Urbana Medical CenterUrbana · 21 mi
Ochc - Stockton Dental ClinicStockton · 21.7 mi
Ochc - Hermitage Dental ClinicHermitage · 24 mi
Ochc - Hermitage Medical CenterHermitage · 24 mi
Ochc - Greenfield Dental ClinicGreenfield · 26.7 mi
17.3 mi
Advocates for A Healthy Community
2 sites · nearest in Buffalo
Jordan Valley Community Health Center - BuffaloBuffalo · 17.3 mi
Jordan Valley Community Health Center - BentonSpringfield · 27.8 mi
Nothing matches.
! Primary careBolivar's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Dallas/Polk Counties · need score 16 of 25
! Dental careBolivar's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Polk County · need score 18 of 25
! Mental healthBolivar's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Springfield · need score 16 of 25
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Bolivar. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Bolivar
| Measure | Bolivar | Margin | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 35.8% | 31.9–40.1% | 36.5% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 36.7% | 32.7–41.2% | 37.5% | about the same |
| Obesity | 37.6% | 29.7–46.3% | 36.6% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 29.1% | 26–32.5% | 28.8% | about the same |
| Depression | 27.1% | 23.3–31.5% | 24.3% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 17.5% | 14.2–21.1% | 15.8% | about the same |
| Asthma | 11.3% | 10–12.8% | 10.6% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 8.7% | 7.9–9.6% | 8.6% | about the same |
| Diabetes | 12.1% | 10.5–13.9% | 12.1% | about the same |
| COPD | 9.8% | 8.7–11% | 8% | worse |
| Heart disease | 7.7% | 6.9–8.5% | 6.8% | worse |
| Stroke | 4% | 3.7–4.4% | 3.6% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.8% | 15.5–20.7% | 16% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 16.3% | 13.5–19.6% | 16.3% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 33.1% | 28.1–38.7% | 28.8% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.3% | 31.4–45.5% | 36.5% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 77.6% | 73.9–81.2% | 78.4% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 54.9% | 51–58.7% | 60.4% | worse |
| Cholesterol check | 80% | 77.5–82.5% | 84.5% | worse |
| Colon screening | 61.6% | 56.1–66.7% | 64% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 71.4% | 62.9–78.9% | 74.7% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 76.6% | 74.1–79% | 77.2% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 10.1% | 8.4–12% | 8.7% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 33.6% | 28.6–39% | 31.7% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 19.5% | 16.5–22.9% | 20.1% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 20.1% | 17.8–22.6% | 17.5% | worse |
| Fair or poor health | 23.6% | 20.7–26.9% | 20.5% | worse |
| Frequent physical distress | 15.8% | 13.9–17.9% | 14.2% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 16.4% | 13.9–19.4% | 13.7% | worse |
| Housing insecurity | 12.9% | 11.1–15% | 12.1% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 9.8% | 8.5–11.2% | 9% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 10.2% | 8.9–11.6% | 8.4% | worse |
| Receive SNAP | 13.7% | 11.6–16.1% | 10.8% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.3% | 36.6–46.7% | 36.2% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 18% | 15.8–20.4% | 15.8% | |
| Thinking or memory | 21.1% | 18.7–23.6% | 17.2% | |
| Hearing | 9.8% | 8.7–10.9% | 8.3% | |
| Vision | 6.2% | 5.6–6.9% | 5.1% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 4.5% | 4.1–5% | 3.9% | |
| Errands alone | 11.7% | 10.4–13.1% | 9.2% | |
About these numbers
How CDC estimates town health
They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Bolivar door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Missouri figure falls inside it, we don't call Bolivar better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Bolivar directly, so these are its own figures.
CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Missouri figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.