City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Murphysboro, IL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Murphysboro - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

6,804
Residents
$42,367
Median income
$79,600
Median home
$916
Median rent (state)

Murphysboro - the verdict

Murphysboro ranks in the 10th percentile for household income and the 11th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

10th
percentile, household income
4th
percentile, home value
5th
percentile, median rent
11th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Murphysboro, IL

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 6,804 residents in Murphysboro, a small town within Illinois. Median household income here is $42,367 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 14.7%. Murphysboro's housing stock carries a median value of $79,600, and the median resident age is 40.0 years. Educational attainment runs 19.4% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 55.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 2 residential building permits were authorized in Murphysboro (Low Activity), per Census BPS data. Murphysboro's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 3466.2 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Illinois tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 100.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $916 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $240 across Illinois, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 87.1 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

6,804 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$42,367 /yr

Poverty 14.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Murphysboro compare to other US cities?

Where Murphysboro sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 10% higher than other cities
Home value 4% pricier than other cities
Median rent 5% pricier than other cities
Safety 11% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Illinois, Murphysboro ranks #428 of 455 Illinois cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Murphysboro's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Illinois, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

10thIncome percentile
11thSafety percentile

10th percentile nationally for median household income · 11th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Murphysboro's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Murphysboro's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 39 Avg. percentile National median
Murphysboro's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Murphysboro's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$79,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 96% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Murphysboro $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Murphysboro, IL Murphysboro, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Murphysboro, IL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Murphysboro, IL median $42,367/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Murphysboro, IL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Murphysboro, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 19.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 14.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
6,804
Median Income
$42,367
Median Home Value
$79,600
Median Age
40.0
Poverty Rate
14.7%
Labor force participation
55.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
19.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3466.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
332.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3134.0
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
6,950 residents7,000 residents7,050 residents7,100 residents 202020212022202320242025 7,077 residents 6,977 residents ▼ -1.4%
Murphysboro's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
2
housing units authorized
Single-Family
2
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 1
2021 2
2022 1
2023 3
2024 2

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
79.8%
Carpool
7.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
3.6%
Work from Home
8.2%
Other
1.3%

Based on 2,989 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Illinois - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$240
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Illinois state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Illinois state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Murphysboro sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.0
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$916/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
87.1 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Litchfield
6,814 people
Chester
6,830 people
Calumet Park
6,836 people
Orland Hills
6,758 people
Mount Carmel
6,892 people
Mendota
6,915 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Murphysboro's 6,804 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Lake Alfred, FL
6,803 people
South Hill, NY
6,805 people
Osceola, AR
6,807 people
Pepper Pike, OH
6,807 people
Roeland Park, KS
6,800 people
Columbiana, OH
6,800 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Murphysboro's $42,367 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Alexander City, AL
$42,367 median income
Springfield, CO
$42,368 median income
Harvey, ND
$42,368 median income
Crescent, LA
$42,371 median income
Myrtle Point, OR
$42,357 median income
Millfield, OH
$42,356 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Murphysboro, IL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Murphysboro, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 71.2% 13.7% 10.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 11.3% White 71.2% Black or African American 13.7% Asian 0.4% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 10.3% Two or more races 4.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Murphysboro compares to nearby Illinois cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Murphysboro (this city) 6,804 $42,367
Litchfield 6,814 $54,190
Chester 6,830 $74,673
Calumet Park 6,836 $57,389
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Murphysboro, IL?

What is the population of Murphysboro, IL? +

6,804 people live in Murphysboro, IL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Murphysboro, IL? +

In Murphysboro, the typical household earns $42,367 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Murphysboro? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Murphysboro; the closest available measure is the Illinois state average, a cost of living index of 100.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Illinois vary by metro area.

Is Murphysboro, IL safe? +

Murphysboro has a total crime rate of 3466.2 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Murphysboro, IL? +

Murphysboro's median home value sits at $79,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.