In Oxford, you get a truly tight-knit community. A place where everyone comes together for a wide range of high-energy and relaxed events. Be it in the vibrant bar and nightlife scene, the many churches of a variety of Christian denominations, or course the devoted and enthusiastic fanbase of the University of Mississippi’s football team, Oxford prides itself on being an old-school southern community where everyone knows everyone and everyone always has time to greet you with a smile and a friendly word.  

Fittingly enough for a college town that is as centralized around its university as Oxford is, the Ole ‘Miss party scene is equal parts legendary and infamous. Particularly due to Greek Life at the university being highly popular, many houses and apartments surrounding the school are saturated with undergraduate students who are not afraid to make some noise while they are having a good time. Please be mindful of this before moving to Oxford, especially if you want to live within city limits near school or in a student-dominated apartment complex.

Community

LookyLOO Review of Oxford

Oxford is accommodating to different lifestyles and all types live here. Graduates of the university often choose to settle in the town, and many more retire here later in life, leading to a wide age range among the populace. The bar and nightlife scene is always in season; the university sports teams, particularly the football team, are treated with religious reverence locally; the Rowan Oak House, Square Books, the Lyric Theater, and Center for the Study of Southern Culture provide intellectual pursuits; and hunting, fishing, hiking, and kayaking are popular amongst local outdoorsmen. If you are willing to look, Oxford will have something for you.  

Check out the town [events calendar](https://visitoxfordms.com/events/) to get more details on the local happenings.

We highly recommend visiting Oxford and staying in the community in a [VRBO](https://vrbo.com/affiliate/p4JS4ZC) rather than a hotel to get a feel for living among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our [partnership with Expedia](expedia.com/affiliate/9NZ8LBQ) as well.


Lifestyle 

Oxford’s local economy is mostly about the university. While there are local businesses, many of them only offer entry-level or service positions. Most of the jobs are in teaching, healthcare, or administration at Ole ‘Miss or working at the local elementary and high schools. That said, Oxford has also taken it upon itself to improve its internet speed for the community, so the town has never been better for remote workers. 


Worklife 

If you are looking for an old school southern community that prides itself on local color and togetherness, then regardless of your stage in life you should take a look at Oxford. 


Small Town College Charm

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**Anonymous**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

I love it. I was lucky enough to meet my wife in Oxford. I'm originally from Northern California but before I committed to Ole Miss I had family in the area. It just depends what you are looking for. We both work remotely and have bought 2 houses in Mississippi. One in Oxford, one in Taylor. Everything is so cheap here.

I think it depends on what you are looking for. We stay busy with the college games, church, golf, hunting, fishing, school activities for the kids. Those things aren't for everyone but I can tell you in your thirties, and when you have children, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

For more reviews of what living in Oxford is like from locals, check out [The Reviews](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/oxford/reviews).

Reviews of Oxford from Locals

The University neighborhood is where most students live, both for proximity to school and its easy access to the city center, and the greatest concentration of bars, restaurants and cafes in the area. Faculty also live here as well as locals who appreciate/survive the energy of the area when school is in session. 

Putting up with the students means you get the shortest distance to the beautiful campus and near year-round sports and cultural events the school offers students and locals alike. 

There are also a number of parks and green spaces in the neighborhood, giving locals a chance to run, play and relax when not engaging in the Ole Miss revelry. Housing in these kinds of neighborhoods is getting pricey as non-residents buy up the beautiful homes and rent them out to students and faculty at a premium to historical rent or mortgage rates. 

Students/Faculty

University District

The Square is at the heart of Oxford and is where the city congregates when it's not at an Ole Miss game. It's just a few blocks from the University so you get the cultural and commercial experiences of downtown plus a short walk to the energy and activities of the school. 

The majority of city events; concerts, festivals and farmer's markets are here along with plenty of the best restaurants, bars, cafes and entertainment spots so if you're a young professional then this is your spot. There are wonderful converted and new condo/apartment developments for rent or purchase and pricing is notably inexpensive for a college town. 

Retirees also congregate here due to the nonstop things to do, the reasonable prices, easy access to healthcare and the simplicity of living in an area that is in the center of the city's action. 

Young Professionals/Retirees

The Square

Country Club is a beautiful neighborhood on the east side of the city. While it was originally a private golf course community it is now an open group of subdivisions and the original course is the wonderful Pat Lamar Park. Lamar Park is an outdoor arboretum and is known for lovely walking/running trails, gardens and a quiet lake that locals use for picnics, group events and general kiddo play. 

The homes and the lots in the area are large, with massive trees for shade and private pools to beat the summer heat. It's also near the Oxford Country Club so if you crave golf, tennis, swimming and excellent dining for you and the whole family then you're going to like it here. 

Families

Country Club

If you're craving a more outdoor lifestyle for your family then check out The Lakes. It runs along the east side of the city and is known for beautiful lakes, of course, but also for parks, playgrounds, walking trails, outdoor sport courts and fields, and the overall sense that you're experiencing the best the countryside has to offer here. 

There are large luxurious properties in The Lakes but also more modest ranch-style, making the neighborhood more diverse in home prices for different families. The nice part about Oxford is you can live in a place as green as The Lakes but still just be a few minutes from the action of downtown. 

The Lakes

Oxford

**the_elizabest**
11d ago
🦉🦉🦉

Cons: Housing market is insane. Homes sell within 24 hours and are sold for 30% more than they are worth because of how limited small family housing is right now. Expensive. Very little job availability. Small town drama with the old guard council and people who run this town. Traffic. Extremely limited shopping. Medical access could be better (know someone who had to hunt down a rabies treatment because so many local places were out...).

Pros: it is a very pro-small/local business area, with many residents going out of their way to buy local. Farmers Markets sell some of the best honey and produce you've ever tasted. Local flower farm, blueberry farm, etc. Extremely kind people. Knock-out sunsets. Great local food and pharmacies. College sports. Great local art community. The walkable downtown square is kept nice and has a great local bookstore. Good schools. People of different views live here. They do have local events like an arts festival, parades, craft markets, concerts, etc. A sense of community you can't find just anywhere.

**w3ndolynboba**
11d ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

living in Oxford MS is pretty chill overall lotsa college vibes cuz of ole miss. good food and pretty lively downtown area. can get a bit crowded when there's football games or events but that’s part of the charm. rent's not too bad depending on where ya look. overall not a bad spot if you like a mix of quiet and some occasional hustle during game days and stuff.

JesusFelchingChrist
11d ago
🦉🦉🦉

crowded traffic just about all the time. poorly designed road plan; if Oxford were actually a true city there’d be complete deadlock all the time.

real estate and rent is extremely expensive.

other than that it’s a great little town. lively and lovely town square with a REAL bookstore that is phenomenal (especially when they’re having live events like thacker mountain radio).

it’s a beautiful town with real choices when it comes to a diversity of restaurants and food types.

the hospital isn’t very good, but at least they have one and that’s a rarity for any town in mississippi these days. 

**Anonymous**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

I love it. I was lucky enough to meet my wife in Oxford. I'm originally from Northern California but before I committed to Ole Miss I had family in the area. It just depends what you are looking for. We both work remotely and have bought 2 houses in Mississippi. One in Oxford, one in Taylor. Everything is so cheap here.

I think it depends on what you are looking for. We stay busy with the college games, church, golf, hunting, fishing, school activities for the kids. Those things aren't for everyone but I can tell you in your thirties, and when you have children, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

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Oxford, Mississippi

The Velvet Ditch

Looklyloo Score: 87

Reviews

What's it like to live in Oxford?