Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,808, settled in 1835. A regional job hub with 2,391 jobs.
The best of Murphy’s subject grades are an A for walkability and civic life and an A− for history; the weakest is a D− for incomes. Murphy’s trail network density is 1.0 miles per square mile, above both the North Carolina town median (0.2) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). Only 15 of North Carolina’s 331 towns score higher on civic life. Murphy has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Cherokee County Courthouse and Harshaw Chapel and Cemetery. Murphy has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Murphy beats most towns.
Where Murphy’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Carolina), ordered by how far Murphy is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1895.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Murphy, 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 Murphy.
Among 291 North Carolina towns, just 2 have a lower typical journey to work than Murphy. About one worker in five stays in Murphy for work. The median household income for Murphy comes to $37,000, below both North Carolina’s towns ($69,000) and U.S. towns ($80,000); even so, in Murphy, 18% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Murphy | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 14 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 21% | 6.8% | 8% |
| Median household income | $37,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 18% | 13% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the Cherokee County Schools. Enrollment at Murphy’s public school: 467 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murphy ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 467 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NC on state tests and graduation
Among adults 25 and older, 27% have a four-year degree or more, against 36% across North Carolina. Adults 35 to 64 are 28% of residents (38% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 30% of residents (23% statewide). In Murphy, the age of the median resident is 34.5 years. The Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate puts Murphy at 1,808 residents, up 12% since 2020.
| Murphy | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.5 years | 40.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 21% | 18% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 21% | 22% | 22% |
44% women, 56% men
About 130 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±6.1 points). Across North Carolina, 51.1% of residents are women. Among residents 25 to 34, 62% are men (NC 50%).
| Murphy | NC | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.3% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.4% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.1% | 9.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 22.6% | 13.4% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.2% | 12.8% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.5% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 7.5% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 14.4% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.9% | 6.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 11.1% | 9.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 35.9% | 24.8% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.6% | 19.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 5.7% | 10.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.5% | 22.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.3% | 13.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,800, single groups can be off by several points
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Among households in Murphy, 46% own their home.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
15 violent crimes were reported in 2023. Murphy’s property crime rate is 51.4 per 1,000 residents. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Murphy | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 9.1 per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 1.8 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 51.4 per 1,000 residents | 26 | 13.1 |
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
Expected losses in Murphy break down as 61% from inland flooding and 13% from tornadoes. The town has had 4 paid flood insurance claims since 1982. One declared disaster, in 2024, has brought federal aid to Murphy households.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Trails run 2.7 miles in 4 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Nantahala National Forest, at 65 acres. Parks and preserves in Murphy: 4, covering 102 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Nantahala National Forest | 0.2 mi | 65 |
| 2. Konaheeta Park | — | 35 |
| 3. Hiwassee Street Boat Ramp | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Among adults in Murphy, 16% smoke cigarettes and 33% sleep under 7 hours. For adults in the town, the share who have been diagnosed with depression is 27%.
| Murphy | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 25% | 23% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 34% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 17% |
| What stands out | Murphy | NC |
|---|---|---|
| More adults who have had cancer | 8.8% | 7.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
1 within 15 miles of the center of Murphy
About 4 of every 100 Murphy residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
3 places in Murphy on the National Register of Historic Places.
4 notable people were born in Murphy.
Town in North Carolina, United States
Murphy is a town in and the county seat of Cherokee County, North Carolina, United States. It is situated at the confluence of the Hiwassee and Valley rivers. It is the westernmost county seat in the state of North Carolina, approximately 360 miles (580 km) from the state capital in Raleigh. The population of Murphy was 1,608 at the 2020 census.
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. That is 5.1 years of the area's median household income ($53,628 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
4 notable people were born here, including Michael Mauldin and Carl Pickens.
