Relocation & Retirement

Won’t you be our neighbor?

Murray offers a low cost of living, low property taxes, a four-season climate and excellent educational systems. The town was named the Friendliest Small Town in America by Rand McNally and USA Today, and one of the 100 best communities for young people, making Murray an ideal place to live and work.

With nearby access to Interstate 24, Murray is just a matter of hours from Nashville, St. Louis, Louisville and Memphis. With close proximity to these major cities, residents can spend time enjoying the attractions of a large city, then at the end of the day drive back home to the small-town atmosphere they love.

Specific criteria are important in designating this community as a great place to settle down. These criteria include a low crime rate, high-quality medical care, low cost of living, low tax rates, mild climate, availability of adult education, close proximity to a major city and a friendly atmosphere. In addition, Calloway County has been ranked one of the top 10 healthiest counties in Kentucky for the past six years.

Education

Calloway County Schools

The mission of Calloway County Schools is to empower all students academically, socially, and personally to be lifelong learners capable of thinking, solving problems, and serving as responsible citizens ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow. The Calloway County School System continues to be recognized as one of the top school districts in the Commonwealth. Calloway County Schools also offer over 30 extracurricular academic and athletic programs. The District has roughly 500 full-time employees and serves around 3,200 students in preschool through high school. The annual budget is approximately 30 million dollars a year.

Murray Independent Schools

The Murray Independent School District (MISD) mission “Every Student, Every Day: Tradition, Pride and Excellence,” is deeply-rooted in MISD’s past and present. The system consists of four institutions: a preschool, elementary, middle and high school.

Since 1872, the Murray Independent School District has fostered Tradition, Excellence, and Pride and is recognized on state and national levels as a premier institution of learning which produces quality graduates. Recently, Murray Schools received recognition as a District of Distinction for exceptional performance on the Kentucky state assessment, ACT, and College & Career Readiness. MISD also benefits from one of the most successful volunteer programs in the Commonwealth with nearly 400 volunteers who donated over 25,000 hours to the students of MISD.

Murray Independent Schools continue to be ranked at or near the top in regard to percentage of students who attend college or post-secondary training. The school district has experienced remarkable success in academic, athletic, and music competition on the regional, state, and national levels.

The Murray Board of Education continues to make facility improvements with the goal to ensure all facilities are operating at a high level for the 21st Century. The opening of the Murray-Calloway Area Technology Center in 2017, MHS Multi-purpose facility in 2015 and the recent groundbreaking for the new Murray High School in 2017 support this commitment.

Most recently, Tim Zeiss, Murray High School Band Director, has been named the 2022-23 Kentucky Music Education Association (KMEA) High School Teacher of the Year Award Recipient.

Community Involvement

Relocating to a new community creates opportunities to meet new people, work with civic organizations and create a network of relationships. Murray has multiple options to fit any type of interest or involvement, whether it is becoming a member or a volunteer. A few of our organizations are listed below:

Civic Organizations

Murray Rotary Club
Murray Lions Club
Friends of the Library
Murray Woman’s Club

Non-Profit Organizations (Volunteer Opportunities)

Needline
Soup for the Soul
Playhouse in the Park
Murray Art Guild
Murray Main Street
Angel’s Attic Thrift Store
Main Street Youth Center
HOPE Calloway

Community Profile

Population: 17,311
Median Age: 27 years old*
Sales Tax: 6% (Prescription drugs and groceries exempt)
Annual Average Temperature: 59.1 degrees
Median Household Income: $37,421*
Average Home Sale Price: $184,090
Home Ownership Rate: 41.2%*
Median Travel Time to Work: 11.95 minutes
Geography: Centrally located with easy access to an interstate highway system, within a day's drive of 60% of the nation's population.