Photo: Harrison Keely · CC BY 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Murphy is healthier than 96%
Murphy trails North Carolina on 1 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Murphy. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Murphy
What’s behind Murphy’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Murphy is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 66% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 35%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Murphy’s median household income is $37,263; among the 1,685 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($28K–$47K), it’s healthier than 96%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Murphy adults…
Murphy runs above NC on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Murphy
No hospital or community health center in Murphy itself. These are the nearest.
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 Murphy; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
2.7 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Murphy adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Murphy adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Murphy adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.8% of Murphy adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Murphy and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murphy | B− | 34% | 11.5% | 16.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Murphy adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Murphy
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Murphy is better than North Carolina on 0 and worse on 1; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Murphy’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Murphy | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.9%16.6–23.4 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12–16.2 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%15.6–20.3 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34%26.1–42.5 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.5%9.7–13.3 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.4%32–41 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.2%32.7–41.7 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.2%25.7–32.9 | 26.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.4%10–12.8 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.8%8–9.7 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6.1–7.9 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.5%7.1–9.9 | 7.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.3–4.2 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.1%12.2–18.8 | 13.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.2%13.2–19.4 | 13.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.6%19.8–29.7 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.7%12.7–19 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.9%26.5–41.4 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.1%8.1–12.6 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79%75.2–82.4 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.7%55.8–63.9 | 63.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.6%84.3–88.7 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.1%72.8–78.9 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.7%57.6–68.4 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.8%70.7–84.8 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.3%23.3–31.6 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.9%27.5–38.4 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.5%18.8–26.4 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.4%11.7–17.3 | 15.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.1%9.3–13.1 | 12.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.4%6.3–8.6 | 8.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.1%6.9–9.4 | 8.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.8%9.5–14.3 | 12.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34%28.8–39.1 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.3%12.9–17.8 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.4%14–18.8 | 14.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.1%7–9.2 | 7.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.7–6.1 | 5.3% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.1%7.8–10.5 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.6–4.7 | 4% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the North Carolina figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Murphy
Is Murphy a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Murphy is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Murphy?
CDC estimates 34% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.1% and 42.5%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Murphy?
Erlanger Murphy Medical Center in Murphy, 3.7 miles in a straight line from Murphy’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Murphy have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.1–12.6%), against 10.4% across North Carolina.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Murphy more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Murphy.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The North Carolina figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.