Population 12,781 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Murphysboro
Household size in Murphysboro
| Period | Murphysboro | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.25 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.28 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.28 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.19 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Murphysboro are small: just 2.19 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.25, mirroring the country. Only 20 of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Murphysboro
| Period | Murphysboro | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.4 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.6 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.5 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.8 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.4 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Murphysboro skews a little older than the country: its median age is 41.8, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 40.4 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the southeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Murphysboro
| Period | Murphysboro | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Murphysboro (12.5%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Illinois overall (11.3%). Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 0.6 points, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Murphysboro
Renters in Murphysboro
| Period | Murphysboro | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.8% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 33.4% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 39.7% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.9 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
About four in ten households in Murphysboro rent their homes (39.7%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. Among owners, 45.6% have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the northwest. The renter share has risen 5.9 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Murphysboro
| Period | Murphysboro | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.6% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.0% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.3% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.1% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 16.1% of the housing in Murphysboro, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 1.6 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Murphysboro
| Period | Murphysboro | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1969 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1968 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +6 |
Murphysboro is a place of older homes: half were built before 1968, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the center.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Murphysboro
| Period | Murphysboro | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $604 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $656 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $635 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $787 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$183 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in Murphysboro pays $787 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $183 a month from 2006–10, a 30% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 22.9% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the north and lowest in the south.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Murphysboro
Bachelor's degrees in Murphysboro
| Period | Murphysboro | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.8% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.8% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.1% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.1% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Murphysboro than nationally: 27.1% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the center.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Murphysboro
| Period | Murphysboro | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.8% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.9% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.2% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.6% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Murphysboro have finished high school (91.6%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Illinois as a whole looks much the same. The share with a diploma has risen 4.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Murphysboro
| Period | Murphysboro | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.7% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Murphysboro than nationally: unemployment was 6.7%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Murphysboro compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murphysboro | 2.19 | 41.8 | 12.5% | 39.7% | 16.1% | 1968 | $787 | 27.1% | 91.6% | 6.7% |
| Mount Carbon | 2.44 | 43.0 | 11.8% | 21.5% | 17.0% | 1980 | $763 | 25.3% | 90.8% | 12.4% |
| Harrison | 2.42 | 45.3 | 8.5% | 15.9% | 13.7% | 1980 | $737 | 29.0% | 96.9% | 3.8% |
| Oraville | 2.67 | 41.2 | 10.6% | 13.3% | 16.8% | 1983 | $797 | 27.8% | 89.6% | 3.6% |
| Sand Ridge | 2.30 | 35.3 | 15.5% | 27.5% | 15.2% | 1960 | $678 | 7.6% | 90.4% | 5.2% |
| Carbondale | 2.04 | 35.7 | 9.7% | 64.2% | 16.6% | 1979 | $843 | 47.3% | 94.9% | 7.9% |
| DeSoto | 2.26 | 39.7 | 14.3% | 42.1% | 12.8% | 1985 | $854 | 28.2% | 93.0% | 5.6% |
| Gorham | 2.48 | 46.7 | 10.5% | 16.7% | 20.7% | 1980 | $720 | 19.8% | 89.6% | 8.1% |
| Pomona | 2.42 | 53.1 | 10.2% | 17.3% | 14.8% | 1978 | $713 | 19.9% | 88.5% | 8.9% |
| Hallidayboro | 2.28 | 44.6 | 14.0% | 26.3% | 11.9% | 1973 | $761 | 10.9% | 88.0% | 6.7% |
| Reeds Station | 2.46 | 36.1 | 6.5% | 32.8% | 15.4% | 1998 | $717 | 50.6% | 96.2% | 2.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Grand Terrace, CA · Suamico, WI · Storm Lake, IA · Stony Point, NY · Stevensville, MI · Greenbrier, TN · Greenbrier, AR · Gray, GA · Granville, OH · Grantsville, UT
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Murphysboro. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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