Town guide

Murray, Iowa

Murray is a city in Clarke County, Iowa, home to about 614 people across 0.8 square miles. Its ZIP code is 50174.

Homes sold for a median of $122 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.

Population614768 per sq mi
Median home value$80,800Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$122Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking0%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in Murray

1 ZIP code

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Murray. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

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Around Murray

Distances

Nearest major airportDes Moines International Airport (DSM)38 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Omaha, NE110 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Chicago, IL329 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Murray; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents Murray

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

Murray had 684 residents in the 2020 census, down 11% since 2000.

It’s the 421st largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.

Clarke County grew from 12,440 residents in 1900 to 9,748 in 2020.

Murray population by census2000: 766, 2010: 756, 2020: 684766200075620106842020

Clarke County, 1900–2020

Clarke County population, 1900 to 20201900: 12,440, 1910: 10,736, 1920: 10,506, 1930: 10,384, 1940: 10,233, 1950: 9,369, 1960: 8,222, 1970: 7,581, 1980: 8,612, 1990: 8,287, 2000: 9,133, 2010: 9,286, 2020: 9,74812K’00’1011K’20’3010K’40’508K’60’709K’80’909K’00’1010K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 87°F in summer, and winter lows average 11°F. About 38.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 28 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near MurrayJan: high 32°F, low 11°F, 1 in; Feb: high 37°F, low 15°F, 1.3 in; Mar: high 50°F, low 26°F, 2.1 in; Apr: high 62°F, low 37°F, 4.1 in; May: high 72°F, low 49°F, 5.5 in; Jun: high 82°F, low 60°F, 5.3 in; Jul: high 87°F, low 64°F, 4.5 in; Aug: high 85°F, low 61°F, 4.6 in; Sep: high 78°F, low 51°F, 3.9 in; Oct: high 65°F, low 39°F, 2.9 in; Nov: high 50°F, low 27°F, 2.1 in; Dec: high 37°F, low 17°F, 1.5 in32°11°Jan1.037°15°Feb1.350°26°Mar2.162°37°Apr4.172°49°May5.582°60°Jun5.387°64°Jul4.585°61°Aug4.678°51°Sep3.965°39°Oct2.950°27°Nov2.137°17°Dec1.5Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Osceola, IA weather station (11 miles away).

Jobs in Clarke County

3,560 jobs at 188 businesses in Clarke County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Clarke CountyManufacturing: 1,370 jobs; Retail trade: 586 jobs; Health care and social assistance: 517 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 400 jobs; Transportation and warehousing: 180 jobs; Wholesale trade: 100 jobs; Other services: 81 jobs; Finance and insurance: 75 jobsManufacturing 39% Retail trade 17% Health care and social assistance 15% Hotels and restaurants 11% Transportation and warehousing 5% Wholesale trade 3% Other services 2% Finance and insurance 2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

1 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Murray.

Nearest hospitals

  • Clarke County HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 5 of 5 · Osceola9.7 miles
  • Madison County Health Care SystemCritical access hospital · emergency room · Winterset20.4 miles
  • Decatur County HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · Leon22.5 miles

Providers with an office here

Physical and occupational therapists1

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.

Places in and around Murray

Parks (1 nearby)

  • Murray Roadside Park · 14 acres0.9 mi

Libraries (1 nearby)

  • Murray Public Library0.3 mi

Counts are within about 1 mile of the center of town.

Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.

Schools in Murray

Public schools here are run by Murray Comm School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (2)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Murray Elementary SchoolMurrayPre-K–5165Public0.1 mi
Murray Jr/Sr HighMurray6–12145Public0.1 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

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Where Murray is

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Towns near Murray

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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.