Living a Lakeside Lifestyle in Murphy, North_Carolina

Murphy enjoys breathtaking scenery with mountains, lakes (several large ones like Lake Hiwassee), and streams. Boating and fishing are popular pastimes. The surrounding area in extreme southwestern North Carolina is a popular area for a second homes. The town is small and quaint (about 1600 people), as well as being the county seat of Cherokee County. There are several good restaurants and many shops.   Downtown is beautiful with tree lined streets and many historic buildings restored to their original state.  The people are very friendly and the community is small and tight-knit.  Asheville is located to the northeast. Photo of Courthouse courtesy of Wikipedia and Hi540.

Where to Retire in Murphy and Home Prices

More retirees continue to move to Murphy. Topretirements has not been able to find any active adult or 55+ communities in the Murphy. The median home value was $175,817 in early 2021, according Zillow.

What Is Special about Murphy

The people and the landscape (mountains, streams, farms, pastures). Very close to John C. Campbell Folk School. Murphy is in a unique location in southwestern North Carolina. Thanks to NC's strange shape, Murphy is is closer to the capitals of six other states (Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, Kentucky, and West Virginia) than it is to Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina. Nantahala National Forest is right on the edge of Murphy.

What Is Not Special about Murphy

Murphy is a small town in a rural area. For any kind of serious shopping you will need to drive a few hours to Asheville or Chattanooga. Fort Butler on this site was one of the main collection points for Indians on what would become their Trail of Tears.

Climate and Physical Environment

Rolling hills and mountains up to 3,500 feet. Lots of streams and creeks and several large lakes such as Persimmon Lake) nearby. The average July high temperature is 86 and the average January low is 26. The wettest month is March (6")

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

Murphy holds several festivals during the year, such as the Mountain Song Festival and the annual Spring Festival. For more serious culture you will need to drive elsewhere, such as the Harrah's Casino in Cherokee.

Crime

For a small town, Murphy has a high crime rate. Theft accounts for most of the crimes. 

Medical Facilities

Murphy Medical Center is a local hospital.

Transportation

Chattanooga is the nearest large airport for domestic flights and is about 80 miles away.  The closet international airport is in Atlanta about 130 miles away.

Valuable Links

Town of Murphy, City of Flowers

Cherokee NC County Gov
Cherokee County Chamber
Retire in North Carolina
Practical articles about retirement

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