Murphy is a town situated in suburban Collin County, Texas, in the United States. It is positioned to the northeast of Dallas and has a rich history dating back to the late 1800s.
Murphy experienced a decrease in its population due to factors such as the Great Depression, the adoption of farming machinery, and the availability of employment in the Dallas metropolitan region. While Murphy was never heavily populated, its number of residents dwindled to 150 in the mid-1950s and further dropped to 135 by 1961.
Murphy is situated in the southern part of Collin County, within the thriving Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It lies midway between Plano and Wylie, nestled along FM 544, and boasts a convenient proximity to the renowned Southfork Ranch, situated just 2 miles (3 km) away. Murphy is bordered by Plano to the west, Richardson to the southwest, Sachse to the south, Wylie to the east, and Parker to the north. The town is 22 miles (35 km) northeast of downtown Dallas and approximately 34 miles (55 km) east of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
Murphy is classified as being within the humid subtropical zone.
According to the 2020 US census, the population of the city was 21,013, with 5,659 households and 5,143 families calling it home.
In 2003, Murphy city implemented a Home Rule Charter which grants authority to a council comprising elected members responsible for governing and making laws. They also have the responsibility of appointing officials like the City Manager, who oversees the executive functions.
The political landscape of Murphy, mirroring the trend in Collin County and the surrounding region, has undergone a notable transformation in recent years. Once a stronghold of Republican support, the area has seen a significant shift towards the Democratic Party, with the 2020 presidential election culminating in a narrow victory for Democrat Joe Biden.
In 2006, the Murphy police department collaborated with the TV show “Dateline” to film operations targeting suspected online sexual predators. They allowed NBC camera crews to document the stings and permitted individuals hired by “Dateline” to organize and conduct the operations. Unfortunately, the project took a tragic turn when one of the suspects, Louis Conradt, a local assistant district attorney, took his own life after Dateline NBC cameras appeared at his residence with Murphy police, following his failure to arrive at the planned sting location.
Murphy is divided, with part of the town falling Independent School District’s jurisdiction rest being served by the Wylie Independent School District.
The Murphy area within the Plano Independent School District is supported by the following schools with distinct attendance zones: Boggess Elementary School and Martha Hunt Elementary School in Murphy, and Miller Elementary School in Richardson.
Separate middle schools serving different attendance areas:
* Armstrong Middle School (Plano)
* Murphy Middle School (Murphy)
High schools in the area include McMillen High School, which serves grades 9-10 and is located in Murphy. Plano East Senior High School serves grades 11-12 and is situated in Plano. Before McMillen High School was established in fall 2011, T.H. Williams High School in Plano served students from Murphy.
The schools that serve the Murphy area in the Wylie Independent School District are Harry and Retha Tibbals Elementary School and Don Whitt Elementary School. These schools have different attendance boundaries and cater to students from kindergarten to fourth grade. Don Whitt Elementary School is part of the Wylie ISD but is situated in Sachse.
Wylie’s educational system includes three secondary schools: Draper Intermediate School for grades 5-6, Raymond B. Cooper Junior High School for grades 7-8, and Wylie High School for grades 9-12.