Town · North Carolina
Murphy, North Carolina
Murphy, town, in Cherokee County, North Carolina. Murphy had 1,808 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 12.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,608 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,604 (±305). GEOID 3745660.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,808
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,608 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,604 ±305
Median household income
$37,263
±$13,177 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$250,000
±$66,387 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$422
±$272 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Murphy and what county is it in?
Murphy is a town in Cherokee County, North Carolina. It covers 2.6 square miles of land, 626 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Murphy, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,808 people lived in Murphy on July 1, 2025, up 12.4% since 2020, faster than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 1,608 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,604 (±305).
| Measure | Murphy | Cherokee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,604 ±305 | 29,562 | no clear change |
| Households | 792 ±177 | 13,241 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 1.89 ±0.29 | 2.20 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 955 ±189 | 18,404 | no clear change |
Murphy's population since 2000
From 1,568 in 2000 to 1,808 in 2025: up 15.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Murphy as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Murphy?
The median resident of Murphy is 34.5 years old; 20.7% are under 18 and 21.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 78.2%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 12.2%.
| Measure | Murphy | Cherokee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.5 ±5.8 | 53.5 | −11.6 |
| Under 18 years | 20.7% ±6.5 pts | 16.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 21.3% ±6.4 pts | 31.5% | – |
| Male | 56.5% ±6.4 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.1% ±3.9 pts | 3.7% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 78.2% ±8.4 pts | 89.3% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 12.2% ±5.7 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.3% ±4.0 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.5% ±1.4 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 5.2% ±3.3 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.3% ±6.0 pts | 10.2% | – |
| With a disability | 21.0% ±5.9 pts | 18.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 20.2% ±10.5 pts | 12.5% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 88.9% ±4.0 pts | 92.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 26.8% ±9.1 pts | 24.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.3% ±3.8 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.9% ±4.8 pts | 89.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.0% ±1.4 pts | 3.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Murphy earn?
Half of Murphy's 792 households earn less than $37,263 a year (±$13,177), against $53,628 in Cherokee County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $38,105 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 17.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Murphy | Cherokee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $37,263 ±$13,177 | $53,628 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $61,192 ±$11,880 | $68,893 | – |
| Per capita income | $31,278 ±$5,305 | $31,569 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 17.5% ±7.6 pts | 12.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 23.2% ±22.1 pts | 14.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 19.8% ±8.3 pts | 11.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.3% ±4.2 pts | 93.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 61.1% ±16.0 pts | 83.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Murphy?
Owners occupy 46.0% of Murphy's occupied homes and renters 54.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $250,000 by its owner (±$66,387). The median renter pays $422 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Murphy | Cherokee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $250,000 ±$66,387 | $232,300 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $422 ±$272 | $813 | −$355 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 22.7% ±15.9 pts | 27.6% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,490 ±$233 | $1,242 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 46.0% ±13.7 pts | 83.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 54.0% ±13.7 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Housing units | 955 ±189 | 18,404 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±11.0 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.7% ±7.0 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 57.5% ±12.7 pts | 76.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 6.8% ±4.6 pts | 19.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±4.3 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.8% ±2.5 pts | 11.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 20.9% ±9.8 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 15.7% ±6.8 pts | 5.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Murphy work and get to work?
67.9% of Murphy's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 14.4 minutes.
| Measure | Murphy | Cherokee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 54.5% ±8.8 pts | 49.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.6% ±4.8 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 67.9% ±17.9 pts | 79.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.1% ±6.0 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±6.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 18.5% ±20.9 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 2.7% ±1.9 pts | 10.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 14.4 min ±3.5 | 25.2 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Murphy?
No census tract lies mostly in Murphy; 3 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9304.02Cherokee County | 1,747 | $71,083 |
| Tract 9305.02Cherokee County | 3,844 | $68,875 |
| Tract 9304.01Cherokee County | 4,131 | $50,625 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Murphy) · Census block assignment files
How does Murphy compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Murphy is the 8,046th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 263rd-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Murphy ranks 401st of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 263rd | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 47th | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 316th | 443 |
| Median household income | 401st | 434 |
| Per capita income | 255th | 443 |
| Median home value | 205th | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 395th | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 146th | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 206th | 421 |
| Median age | 385th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 409th | 443 |
| Travel time to work | 435th | 439 |
Murphy's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Murphy with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Murphy?
20 of the 57 figures for Murphy on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Murphy are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Murphy.