How many people live in Bolivar County, MS?
Updated Apr. 6, 2026Refreshed annually
In 2024, there were about 28,400 people living in Bolivar County, MS. That makes Bolivar County the 29th-most populous county in Mississippi. It is home to 0.96% of people living in the state.
28.4K
population of Bolivar County, MS (2024)
0.96%
County share of the Mississippi population (2024)
About 28,400 people lived in Bolivar County, MS in 2024.
Population estimates, 2000–2024
What are Bolivar County, MS’s age demographics?
About 5,100 Bolivar County residents are aged 65 and older in 2024. That represents 18.1% of its population. For comparison, the age group represents 18% of Mississippi’s population and 18% in the US overall.
Another 7,000 Bolivar County, MS residents, or 24.6% of the population, were children under 18. For comparison, the age group represents 23% of Mississippi’s population and 21.6% in the US overall.
A higher share of Bolivar County, MS's population is aged under 18 than the US as a whole.
Population estimates by age group, (2024)
What are Bolivar County, MS’s racial and ethnic demographics?
Non-Hispanic Black or African American residents make up 63.5% of the Bolivar County, MS population, higher than the national share of 12.6%.
In contrast, Bolivar County’s non-Hispanic white population accounts for 31.7%, below the 57.5% nationwide, and the Hispanic population makes up 2.8% of the county, compared with 20% nationally.
Racial and ethnic make up differ based on location. These figures reflect how people identified their race alone (not in combination with other races), and separate out Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, following Census reporting standards.
Bolivar County, MS has a higher share of a non-Hispanic Black or African American population than Mississippi as a whole.
Population estimates by race and ethnicity, (2024)
The largest city or town in Bolivar County, MS is Cleveland with about 10,200 residents in 2024.
Cities and towns in Bolivar County, MS ranked by population
Population (2024), includes only portions within county
| City or town | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Cleveland | 10,183 |
| 2. | Shelby | 1,800 |
| 3. | Rosedale | 1,435 |
| 4. | Mound Bayou | 1,394 |
| 5. | Shaw (pt.) | 1,343 |
| 6. | Renova | 679 |
| 7. | Boyle | 493 |
| 8. | Benoit | 345 |
| 9. | Merigold | 344 |
| 10. | Gunnison | 279 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
