Median Income
$69,266
household / year
Median Home Value
$166,000
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$976
gross / month
Cost of Living
96
national avg = 100

Is Murphy, MO a Good Place to Live?

Murphy is a small town of 8,427 in Missouri, with a median household income of $69,266 and a 5.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 96 (US average = 100), which is 4% below the national average.

Strengths: Murphy stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Murphy is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Murphy 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: 96.3

Murphy's overall cost of living index is 96.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Murphy costs roughly 4% less than the average American city.

Metric Murphy, MO National Avg
Median Home Value $166,000 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $976 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 78.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $69,266 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Murphy's violent crime rate is 256.4 per 100,000 residents — 33% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
256.4 /100k
Property Crime
1101.8 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Metric Murphy, MO National Avg
School District N/A —
Elementary Schools N/A —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio N/A 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.1% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 89.8% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Murphy sees average highs of 40.2°F in January and 88.8°F in July, with 44.5 inches of annual precipitation and 10.2 inches of snow per year.

MetricMurphy, MO
Average High — January40.2°F
Average High — July88.8°F
Annual Precipitation44.5"
Annual Snowfall10.2"

Demographics

MetricMurphy, MONational Avg
Population8,427—
Median Age36.138.9
Unemployment Rate5.2%3.7%
Avg Commute Time25.6 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)87.1%59.3%
Black or African American0.1%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino7.7%18.9%
Asian0.4%6.3%
Under 1821.4%22.2%
65 and over16.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Parkdale, MO 2 mi Fenton, MO 3 mi High Ridge, MO 3 mi Peaceful Village, MO 4 mi Valley Park, MO 4 mi

Murphy vs Other Cities

Murphy, MO vs Parkdale, MO Murphy, MO vs Fenton, MO Murphy, MO vs High Ridge, MO Murphy, MO vs Peaceful Village, MO Murphy, MO vs Valley Park, MO

Frequently Asked Questions

Murphy's cost of living index is 96, where 100 is the national average. That makes Murphy roughly 4% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $166,000 and median rent is $976/month.
Murphy's violent crime rate is 256.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1101.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Murphy, MO has a population of 8,427, a median household income of $69,266, and an unemployment rate of 5.2%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Murphy averages 40.2°F in January and 88.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 44.5 inches with about 10.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Murphy, Missouri is 8,427 with a median age of 36.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Murphy: cost of living index 96 (100 = US average), median home $166,000, median household income $69,266, crime index 61 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Murphy side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.