Median Income
$51,989
household / year
Median Home Value
$430,400
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,492
gross / month
Cost of Living
108
national avg = 100

Is Murphys, CA a Good Place to Live?

Murphys is a small town of 2,022 in California, with a median household income of $51,989 and a 2.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 108 (US average = 100), which is 8% above the national average.

Strengths: Murphys stands out for short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Murphys is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Murphys city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 108.0

Murphys's overall cost of living index is 108.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Murphys costs roughly 8% more than the average American city.

Metric Murphys, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $430,400 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,492 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 69.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $51,989 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Murphys's violent crime rate is 529.4 per 100,000 residents — 39% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
529.4 /100k
Property Crime
1111.0 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Murphys is served primarily by Vallecito Union. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.3:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Murphys, CA National Avg
School District Vallecito Union —
Elementary Schools 2 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio 19.3:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 28.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 92.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Murphys sees average highs of 57.3°F in January and 97.1°F in July, with 29.8 inches of annual precipitation and 0.2 inches of snow per year.

MetricMurphys, CA
Average High — January57.3°F
Average High — July97.1°F
Annual Precipitation29.8"
Annual Snowfall0.2"

Demographics

MetricMurphys, CANational Avg
Population2,022—
Median Age60.738.9
Unemployment Rate2.4%3.7%
Avg Commute Time17.0 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)84.9%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino7.6%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 187.7%22.2%
65 and over44.0%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Forest Meadows, CA 3 mi Vallecito, CA 4 mi Avery, CA 6 mi Mountain Ranch, CA 7 mi Angels, CA 7 mi

ZIP Codes in Murphys

Murphys, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

95247

Murphys vs Other Cities

Murphys, CA vs Forest Meadows, CA Murphys, CA vs Vallecito, CA Murphys, CA vs Avery, CA Murphys, CA vs Mountain Ranch, CA Murphys, CA vs Angels, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Murphys's cost of living index is 108, where 100 is the national average. That puts Murphys roughly 8% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $430,400 and median rent is $1,492/month.
Murphys's violent crime rate is 529.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1111.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Murphys are operated by Vallecito Union. The district has 2 elementary, 1 middle, and several high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.3:1. 28.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Murphys, CA has a population of 2,022, a median household income of $51,989, and an unemployment rate of 2.4%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Murphys averages 57.3°F in January and 97.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 29.8 inches with about 0.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Murphys, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 95247.
The population of Murphys, California is 2,022 with a median age of 60.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Murphys: cost of living index 108 (100 = US average), median home $430,400, median household income $51,989, crime index 105 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Murphys side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.