Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Murfreesboro’s best subject grades are an A for cost of living and the outdoors; its weakest is a D− for incomes. Among 123 Arkansas towns, just 1 have a lower median rent than Murfreesboro. Residents are less healthy than 88% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Only 9 of the 124 Arkansas towns we compare have a higher share of residents 65 or older than Murfreesboro. 36% of the land in Murfreesboro is conserved, against 0.8% in Arkansas’ towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. On the outdoors, just 1 of Arkansas’ 201 towns do better. Murfreesboro has 4 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Crater Of Diamonds State Park and Conway Hotel. Murfreesboro has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Murfreesboro beats most towns.
Crater Of Diamonds State ParkIn a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Arkansas), ordered by how far Murfreesboro is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 84 in 1880, 1,495 in 2020. The archive holds 16 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1970 on.
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Murfreesboro, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Murfreesboro.
45% of adults have high blood pressure in Murfreesboro, where Arkansas’ towns sit at 41% and U.S. towns at 35%. 18% of adults report frequent physical distress in Murfreesboro. Murfreesboro beats the Arkansas average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5.
| Murfreesboro | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 41% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 34% | 25% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 25% | 19% |
| What stands out | Murfreesboro | AR |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 10.7% | 8.6% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9.4% | 7.7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10% | 8.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the South Pike County School District. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Murfreesboro High School, with 313 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murfreesboro Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 383 | B+ |
| Murfreesboro High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 313 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AR on state tests and graduation
2.8 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. The trail density in Murfreesboro is 0.8 miles per square mile. The biggest place to walk is Crater of Diamonds State Park, 670 acres with 2.2 miles of trail.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Crater of Diamonds State Park | 2.2 mi | 670 |
| 2. Murfreesboro City Park | 0.1 mi | 14 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 78% of U.S. communities. Since 1983, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Murfreesboro.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The typical Murfreesboro home is worth about $164,000, down 0.8% in a year, 27% below the Arkansas typical home.
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Murfreesboro has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. Murfreesboro’s July high is 92°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
People 65 and older are 25% of residents (18% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 18% of residents (22% statewide). 21% of Murfreesboro residents are under 18. Murfreesboro has lost 3.6% of its people since 2020, down to 1,443 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
| Murfreesboro | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 21% | 25% | 22% |
| Median age | 42 years | 36.6 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 20% | 20% | 29% |
54% women, 46% men
About 85 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±3.1 points). Across Arkansas, 50.6% of residents are women.
| Murfreesboro | AR | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.1% | 10.8% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.2% | 9.4% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.5% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.1% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 15.3% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 7.8% | 12.5% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.3% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11.8% | 7.2% | 7% |
| No diploma | 10.6% | 11.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 40.3% | 34.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 24.2% | 20.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 5.1% | 8.2% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 11.9% | 16.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.9% | 9.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,400, single groups can be off by several points
About one in 4 of Murfreesboro’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Nashville (12%), Arkadelphia (3%) and Little Rock (3%). Half commute less than 19 miles.
| Murfreesboro | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 21% | 18% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 24% | 22% | 8% |
| Median household income | $53,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
None within 15 miles of Murfreesboro; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Murfreesboro residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Arkansas.
4 places in Murfreesboro on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in Arkansas, United States
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Pike County, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, Murfreesboro had a population of 1,495. The Crater of Diamonds State Park is located approximately 1 mile southeast of the city.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
