MOMap-doton-Murphy, 2004
Murphy’s story
132 years in pictures
Census counts: 9,048 in 2000, 8,425 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2004 and 4 maps from 1954 on.
- 1894Murphy is settled
MurphyMO
A town of 8,285, settled in 1894.
Population
8,285
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$185K
Census ACS
Household income
$72K
median
Median age
39.2
years
Jobs based here
3,728
Balanced
TownGrade
B
#99 of 247 in MO
Is Murphy a good place to live?
Murphy gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $185K, 2.3 years of the St. Louis metro’s $80K median household income. It grades B overall, ranked 99th of 247 in Missouri. The low prices come with trade-offs. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 75% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. No town in Missouri scores lower than Murphy on the outdoors. 80% of households own their home in Murphy, above both Missouri’s towns (64%) and U.S. towns (73%). On history, just 40 of Missouri’s 419 towns do worse.
How Murphy grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Missouri), ordered by how far Murphy is from typical.
Cost of livingAOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listDOpen →HealthSSM St. Clare Health Center 2.4 miles awayCOpen →Jobs & income$72K median household incomeBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 9 of 20; 2.2% of households have no car; 0.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 60 attractions →Cahokia and 56 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Murphy. Close and well known come first.
Big draw25 mi State parkCahokia
Big draw19 mi Stadium & arenaThe Dome at America's Center
10 mi Theme parkMid America Adventure
18 mi Stadium & arenaBusch Stadium
18 mi National ParkGateway Arch National Park2.2M visitors a year
26 mi LandmarkMonks MoundSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Cahokia: Thank You (24 Millions ) views, CC BY 2.0 · The Dome at America's Center: Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0 · Mid America Adventure: Chris Hagerman from New Port Richey, FL, US, CC BY 2.0 · Busch Stadium: Lee Ann Ratledge, CC BY 4.0 · Gateway Arch National Park: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Monks Mound: Skubasteve834, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Getting set up
Moving to Murphy: who provides what
Murphy is unincorporated, so Jefferson County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerUnion Electric13.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterJefferson County Pwsd 2No health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesJefferson CountyJefferson County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Missouri you can register online until 27 days before Election Day, in person until 27 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 27 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereJeffersonJefferson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2019
ZIP codes63026, 6304963026 67% · 63049 33%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Murphy.
Murphy has homes that are cheap against local pay and trades workers with St. Louis and other neighbors.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Murphy
Since 1979, 13 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Murphy.
75risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesTornadoes
13
paid flood claims since 1979
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SchoolsB−
Murphy’s schools rank behind 54% of Missouri districts
Its public schools are run by the Northwest R-I school district. One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
46%of MO districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brennan Woods Elem.Largest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 470 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MO on state tests and graduation
HealthC
On CDC estimates, Murphy is less healthy than 72% of U.S. towns
Murphy tracks Missouri closely on all 32 CDC measures. 41% of Murphy adults have obesity.
28%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Murphy | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 38% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 33% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Missouri
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
SSM St. Clare Health Center
2.4 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: primary care
47th
percentile among MO towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Four seasons and hot summers in Murphy
Murphy has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 88°, January nights drop to 23° and about 10 inches of snow falls in a winter.
10″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–44°
Spring45–67°
Summer66–87°
Fall47–68°
Oct 29
typical first frost
Apr 4
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
Most working residents commute out of Murphy
Murphy has about as many jobs (3,728) as working residents, but only 193 people both live and work here.
Most working residents leave Murphy for work: only 5% work in town. Jobs based in Murphy grew to 3,728 in 2023, 490 more than in 2013. The top destinations are St.
5%work in town
| Murphy | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 5% | 13% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 10% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $72,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Murphy5%
St. Louis12%
Fenton6%
Maryland Heights4%
Chesterfield4%
13 mi
median commute distance
3,728
jobs based in Murphy
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 56% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade A
The median home in Murphy sells for about $263K
At 2.3 years of the St. Louis metro’s $80K median household income, the typical home costs less against local pay than in 85% of Missouri towns; that ratio is one input to its A for cost of living.
$263Kmedian sale price
Market temperature
2
days on market
101.6%
sale-to-list price
7
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Murphy
16pages on Murphy
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
13 within 15 miles of the center of Murphy
St Louis College of Health Careers-FentonUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Fenton3.7 miWebster UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Saint Louis10.1 mi$31,750 tuitionLogan UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Chesterfield10.1 mi$9,000 tuition
About 4 of every 100 Murphy residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
About Murphy
Census-designated place in Missouri, United States
Murphy is a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson County, Missouri, United States. The population was 8,690 at the 2010 census, down from 9,048 in 2000.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 4.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 574 ft
Murphy’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Murphy.
FentonMurphy
How the neighbors grade
Murphy and Fenton report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Murphy with a neighbor →
Questions about Murphy
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Murphy, MO a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Murphy grades B overall, better than 58% of U.S. towns and #99 of 247 in Missouri. It grades C for health and B− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Murphy, MO expensive?
Not for the area. The typical home is worth about $185,000, 30% below the Missouri typical home. Louis, MO-IL metro 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.