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Compare towns

Sylva vs Murphy

49 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (13.5× in Murphy) and property tax bill (+53% in Murphy).

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Sylva, NCAn outdoors townNorth Carolina · 2,646 people
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Murphy, NCA regional job hubNorth Carolina · 1,604 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

SylvaAn outdoors town
Outdoors#60 most walkable in NC0.2 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves SafetySafer than 4%of U.S. towns we grade Housing$330K typical home1% below the NC typical home All about Sylva →
MurphyA regional job hub
Work2,391 jobsbased in Murphy, a regional job hub HistorySettled in 18353 places on the National Register SchoolsBetter than 35%of NC districts All about Murphy →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Trails13.5×
Murphy has more miles of trail
Murphy 2.7 miSylva 0.2 mi
Property tax bill+53%
Tax bills are bigger in Murphy
Murphy $1,343Sylva $877
Average commute9 min
Murphy has the shorter commute
Sylva 24 minMurphy 14 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $270 more a month in Sylva

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Sylva$1,850/mo
Typical home $330K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.44% · or rent about $797/mo · Housing →
Murphy$1,580/mo
Typical home $278K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.54% · or rent about $422/mo · Housing →

The difference: $270 a month, about $3,200 a year, between Sylva and Murphy.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every North Carolina ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
D−SylvaSafer than 4% of U.S. towns –MurphyNot graded
Schools
–SylvaNot graded C+MurphyBetter than 35% of districts in the state
Health
C+SylvaHealthier than 41% of U.S. towns B−MurphyHealthier than 51% of U.S. towns
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
SylvaMurphy
Snow a year4″4″
January low26°F25°F
July high85°F87°F
Growing season (days)184d180d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)68th43rd
Outdoors & history
SylvaMurphy
Trails0 mi3 mi
Conserved land2.5%5.4%
Settled18891835
National Register places33
Archive photos12—
Community
SylvaMurphy
Library hours a week54 hrs47 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

49 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SylvaNCMurphyNC
Sylva ↔ Murphy49 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

SylvaMurphy
People
Population 2,646Highest 1,604Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -0.4%Highest NC: +9.5% -1.2%Lowest NC: +9.5%
Median age 31.4±5.9Lowest 20% below NC 34.5±5.8Highest 12% below NC
Murphy and Sylva are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 28.4%±7.7Highest NC: 21.8% 20.7%±5.6Lowest NC: 21.8%
Sylva and Murphy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 14.6%±3.9Lowest NC: 17.2% 21.3%±4.4Highest NC: 17.2%
Murphy and Sylva are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 30.7%Highest NC: 35.7% 26.8%Lowest NC: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.1%±3.7Highest NC: 6.4% 4.1%±3.3Lowest NC: 6.4%
Sylva and Murphy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $44,086±$6kHighest 39% below NC $37,263±$13kLowest 49% below NC
Sylva and Murphy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $201,200±$31kLowest 30% below NC $250,000±$66kHighest 13% below NC
Murphy and Sylva are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $797±$197Highest 35% below NC $422±$272Lowest 66% below NC
Sylva and Murphy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $877Lowest 54% below NC $1,343Highest 29% below NC
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 33.5%±12.7Highest NC: 48.9% 28.9%±7.4Lowest NC: 48.9%
Sylva and Murphy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 19.4%Highest NC: 13% 17.5%Lowest NC: 13%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 45.3%Lowest NC: 66.6% 46%Highest NC: 66.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1979Highest 12 yrs older than NC 1974Lowest 17 yrs older than NC
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minHighest 6% below NC 14 minLowest 43% below NC
Work from home 2.9%±2.4Highest NC: 16.3% 2.7%±1.9Lowest NC: 16.3%
Sylva and Murphy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 17.5%Lowest 20.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.3 miLowest 12.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 4.76Highest 3.53Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Cullowhee (7%)Cherokee (4%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MurphyFew work in Sylva
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.5%Lowest 5.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miLowest 2.7 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 1.0 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 6Highest 4Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 66.1Highest 56.3Lowest
Schools
School district —Cherokee County Schools
High school in town —None in town
North Carolina average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Sylva neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sylva’s Town Square.

Murphy neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Murphy’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Sylva

+ Compare
Dillsboro195 people · $270K homes

Towns like Sylva

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Bryson City1,902 people · $243K homes
D
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Dobson1,652 people · $174K homes
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Murfreesboro3,170 people · $159K homes
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Whiteville4,696 people · $188K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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