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Murray

Iowacity

Photograph of Murray
Featured view

Murray

Total population

614

Median home value

$80,800

18.9%

Bachelor's+

Median income

$65,500

Murray$66k
National$74k
Elevation371 m
Land area2.06 km²
Weather60°F · Rain Showers Likely
Coordinates41.04°, -93.95°

Demographic figures from US Census Bureau · ACS 5-year estimates. Overview below cites Wikipedia and may reference a different year.

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City facts

Elevation
371 m
Area
2.06 km²

Facts from Wikidata (CC0).

Overview

Murray is a city in Clarke County, Iowa, United States. The population was 684 at the time of the 2020 census.

Read more on Wikipedia

History & geography

History

Murray was founded in 1868 as Oakland following the construction of the Burlington & Missouri River Rail Road through the State. The village was laid out in 1868 by Henry Clay Sigler (1830–1907) of Osceola and Smith Henderson Mallory (1835–1903) of Chariton. At that time, Oakland occupied a tract. The first U.S. Post Office in Oakland was established in the Fall of 1868 – In section 10, Troy Township. Albert ("Bert") Straub (1842–1897) was appointed postmaster November 27, 1868. Straub had been a member of Company E of the 50th Illinois Infantry Regiment and served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Murray was incorporated as a city Thursday, October 21, 1880 – years after Clarke County had been established by the Territorial Legislature (January 13, 1846). Murray's first City Council meeting was held December 7, 1880. Alanson Bowers (1848–1922) served as founding mayor until March 1882.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Murray has a total area of , all land. The city is in western Clarke County, along the historic Mormon Trail. Driving distances from Murray: # Osceola, the Clarke County seat, is about east via U.S. Route 34. # Des Moines is about north via I-35. # Omaha is about west via U.S. Route 34.

Read full article on Wikipedia

Excerpted from the corresponding Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA).

Demographics & economy

Median age
31.5
Median home value
$80,800
Housing units
250
Poverty rate
8%
Unemployment
1.8%

Race & ethnicity

White
84.7%
Black
0%
Asian
2.1%
Hispanic
3.7%

Source: US Census Bureau — American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

Geography

Latitude
41.0413
Longitude
-93.9488
Water area
—
View on OpenStreetMap

Coordinates & boundaries from the US Census TIGER/Line shapefiles.

Climate

Current forecast

Tonight
60°F
Rain Showers Likely
Friday
64°F
Rain Showers
Friday Night
62°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
Saturday
65°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
Saturday Night
61°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
Sunday
68°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Forecast for Murray, IA from NOAA NWS API.

Air quality

Industrial & pollution facilities

Natural hazard risk

Health (adults)

High blood pressure
32.6%
Diabetes
10.8%
Adult obesity
42.7%
Binge drinking
22%
Adult smoking
19.7%
No leisure activity
28.3%

Age-adjusted prevalence estimates from CDC PLACES (latest release).

Walkability

Amenities nearby

Wildlife & biodiversity

Observations (last 5 yrs, 10 mi)
13,437
Distinct species (top 10)
10

Most-observed species

  • American Crow
    Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
    559
  • Blue Jay
    Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
    503
  • American Robin
    Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
    494
  • Red-winged Blackbird
    Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
    424
  • Northern Cardinal
    Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
    392
  • Turkey Vulture
    Cathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
    373
  • Northern Flicker
    Colaptes auratus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
    353
  • American Goldfinch
    Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
    340

Citizen-science & research observations from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).

Schools

Total
5
Elementary
2
Middle
1
High
2
Other
0

Largest nearby schools

  • Clarke Community Elementary School
    Elementary · Osceola · 611 students · 11.8:1 ratio
  • Clarke Community High School
    High · Osceola · 442 students · 15.8:1 ratio
  • Clarke Middle School
    Middle · Osceola · 305 students · 16.1:1 ratio
  • Murray Jr/Sr High
    High · Murray · 150 students · 12.5:1 ratio
  • Murray Elementary School
    Elementary · Murray · 148 students · 18.5:1 ratio

Public K–12 schools within ~10 mi from Urban Institute Education Data Portal (NCES Common Core of Data, 2022).

Earthquake history

Quakes ≥ 2.5 (25 yrs, 62 mi)
3
Largest magnitude
3.3
Largest event
2025-06-25

Most recent

Events from the USGS Earthquake Catalog (global) (FDSN Event Web Service).

Photos

Sights & places nearby

Notable people from here

Meridel Le Sueur
Meridel Le Sueur
American writer and social activist (1900–1996)
G
Glenn Parker
American judge
D
Dan M. Nee
American athlete, sports coach, lawyer, politician, and government administrator (1888–1952)

People born within ~10 km, from Wikidata (CC0). Click any name for their Wikipedia article.

Nearby places in Iowa

Browse all places in Iowa →

Geography & sun

Avg solar (kWh/m²/day)
4.09
Annual solar (kWh/m²)
1,492

Elevation, sunrise/sunset and daylight from Open-Meteo. Solar climatology from NASA POWER.

Nearby airports

Public attention

Wikipedia views (last 30 days)
176
Avg daily Wikipedia views
6
Attention level
Obscure

Pageview totals from the Wikimedia Pageviews API.

Books about Murray

Iowa
Julie Murray · 2012
Iowa (United States)
Iowa (United States)
Julie Murray · 2005
Iowa Farm in Your Pocket
Kirk Murray · 2009
Agricultural finance
Agricultural finance
William Gordon Murray · 1941
Corporate-owned land in Iowa, 1937
William G. Murray · 1937
Hurrah for bonnie Iowa
Hurrah for bonnie Iowa
Janette Stevenson Murray · 1963

Search results from Open Library.

Recent natural events nearby

Ground air-quality sensors

Recently spotted species

Lazarus's Earth-boring Scarab Beetle
Lazarus's Earth-boring Scarab Beetle
Eucanthus lazarus
Seen 2026-09-17
Glyptotendipes barbipes
Glyptotendipes barbipes
Glyptotendipes barbipes
Seen 2026-09-17
Banded Garden Spider
Banded Garden Spider
Argiope trifasciata
Seen 2026-09-14
Variegated Fritillary
Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia
Seen 2026-09-10
Chrysopa oculata
Chrysopa oculata
Chrysopa oculata
Seen 2026-09-06
velvetleaf
velvetleaf
Abutilon theophrasti
Seen 2026-09-04
Monarch
Monarch
Danaus plexippus
Seen 2026-08-27
Brown-belted Bumble Bee
Brown-belted Bumble Bee
Bombus griseocollis
Seen 2026-08-26
Painted Lady
Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui
Seen 2026-08-24

Research-grade observations from iNaturalist (within ~15 mi).

Nearest stream gauge

Events

Gallery

Sources

  • • Wikipedia
  • • US Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates)
  • • NOAA National Weather Service
  • • Wikidata
  • • USGS Earthquake Catalog (global feed)
  • • NCES via Urban Institute Education Data Portal
  • • GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility)
  • • iNaturalist
  • • CDC PLACES
  • • Open-Meteo / sunrise-sunset.org
  • • Wikipedia Pageviews API
  • • Open Library