Murphy, North Carolina
Murphy is a town of 1,604 people in Cherokee County, North Carolina, founded in 1835.
Why visit Murphy
Townapedia lists 8 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 26 places to eat, 7 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Henn Theatre, Cherokee County Courthouse, Robert Lafayette Cooper House and Hiwassee Street Boat Ramp.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 25°F.
Weather in Murphy
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Murphy
Murphy is a town in and the county seat of Cherokee County, North Carolina, United States. It is situated at the confluence of the Hiwassee and Valley rivers. It is the westernmost county seat in the state of North Carolina, approximately 360 miles (580 km) from the state capital in Raleigh. The population of Murphy was 1,608 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Murphy, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks8
Cherokee County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Courthouse in Murphy, North Carolina, United States
.jpg){kind=link}
Robert Lafayette Cooper House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Murphey, North Carolina, NRHP-listed
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Restaurants and cafes26
Yogi's Neighborhood Grill
Diner · American · 0.5 mi
269 Valley River Avenue, Murphy
14 more on the map.
Where to stay7
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Murphy
Motel and hotel · 1.7 mi
130 Holiday Drive, Murphy
Churches and places of worship16
Harshaw Chapel and Cemetery
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
First Baptist Church of Murphy
Church · Baptist · 1.0 mi
517 Hiwassee Street, Murphy
First United Methodist Church
Church · United Methodist · 0.6 mi
73 Valley River Avenue, Murphy
Murphy Presbyterian Church
Church · Presbyterian · 0.5 mi
252 Valley River Avenue, Murphy
Saint William Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.4 mi
765 Andrews Road, Murphy
Trout Cove Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 1.3 mi
14 West Hollow Street, Murphy
Shopping8
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries10
Tri-County Early College High
School · 3.8 mi
Tri-County Early College High, Murphy
Healthcare3
Murphy Medical Center Urgent Care
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.7 mi
183 Ledford Street, Murphy
Carolina QuickCare - Murphy Urgent Care
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.5 mi
232 Bulldog Drive, Murphy
DaVita Smoky Mountain Dialysis
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.4 mi
1611 Andrews Road, Murphy
Map of Murphy
91 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°F | 25°F | 5.1 in | 0.8 in |
| Feb | 54°F | 28°F | 5.3 in | 1.5 in |
| Mar | 62°F | 34°F | 5.3 in | 0.1 in |
| Apr | 71°F | 41°F | 5.2 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 78°F | 51°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 59°F | 5.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 63°F | 5.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 62°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 81°F | 56°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 72°F | 43°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 61°F | 33°F | 4.6 in | 0.1 in |
| Dec | 53°F | 28°F | 6.0 in | 1.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Murphy 4Ese (4 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Cherokee County has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-28: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2020-08-02: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
- 2020-05-08: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
McMinn County Airport (MMI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 37 miles away.
- Hayesville 12 mi east, about 20 min by car
- Andrews 13 mi northeast, about 21 min by car
- Hiawassee 19 mi southeast, about 30 min by car
- McCaysville 21 mi west, about 34 min by car
- Blue Ridge 23 mi southwest, about 37 min by car
- Franklin 37 mi east, about 59 min by car
- Cleveland 38 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Dahlonega 39 mi south, about 1 h by car
- Athens 41 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
- Maryville 45 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Murphy, N.C. next to the Hiwassee River on Sep. 15, 2022, Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0
- MurphyCourthouse, Hi540, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Harshaw Cemetery in Murphy, Nyttend, Public domain
- Robert Lafayette Cooper House, Murphy, NC (39732385113), Warren LeMay from Cincinnati, OH, United States, CC0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.