What it's like to live in Oxford
Oxford is a small city in Mississippi with rent below the national average, unemployment below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Oxford deals with household incomes below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, hot summers, and very rainy.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Low unemployment
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- High poverty rate
- Hot summers
- Very rainy — 61" of rain per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Oxford compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Oxford
Based on Oxford's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,142
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $42,840 a year
- 49% of Oxford renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$77,140
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $38,570
- Homes cost 6.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 24% below US
$1,071/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,071 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices run above average, with a median around $385,700. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $385,700 · 49% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 35% below US
2.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 2.8%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 57% below US
140 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1279/100k · Oxford Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.5 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 90°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 33°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 60% above US
58% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
12 public schools inside the boundary
There are 12 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Tupelo National Battlefield (46 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Oxford's strongest points are rent below the national average and unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and a poverty rate above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,071/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers, and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Oxford
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