Oxford, MS — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Mississippi·Oxford

Lafayette County · Oxford · population 26,801

Investors
Oxford, MS
Image: Wikipedia · Oxford, Mississippi
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
77
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Oxford stands

At or near all-time high. averaging 9.5% annual growth over 5 years.

Median home $414,121
1-year +3.7%
5-yr CAGR +9.5%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +1.3%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$414k$208k$282k$356k$431k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
71/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$2,164/mo$1,278$1,789$2,299202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent146158100120140160202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 15.9
Lean buy

At a 15.9 price-to-rent ratio, Oxford is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
69 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
85 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
70 · w16%
Rent YoY
70 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
70 · w10%
Long thesis

Oxford has averaged 9.5% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+3.7% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.

Short thesis

Oxford's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Oxford

Oxford is a city in Lafayette County, Mississippi, with an estimated population of 26,801. The population grew 1.3% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Oxford is $414,121 as of 2026-04, up 3.7% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +9.5% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Oxford average $2,164 per month, up 3.7% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 77 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Multi-year compounder: home values up an average 9.5% per year over the last 5 years — sustained, not a one-year pop.
●Quiet strength: +3.7% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Net positive migration: population up 1.3% per year — demand fundamentals are intact.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Oxford (Wikipedia)

Oxford is the 14th most populous city in Mississippi, United States, and the county seat of Lafayette County, 75 miles (121 km) southeast of Memphis. A college town, Oxford surrounds the University of Mississippi or "Ole Miss". Founded in 1837, the city is named after Oxford, England.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Lafayette County right now.

NWS active alerts (MS)Mississippi Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Lafayette County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Oxford

Richland, MS75 · RisingByram, MS68 · RisingTupelo, MS72 · RisingPearl, MS72 · Rising

Run the numbers for Oxford

ToolCan I afford Oxford?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Oxford rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Oxford to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolOxford cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
56° / 36°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
91° / 72°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
216
~59% of year
Annual precip
59″ rain
1″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very high
Tornado
Very high
Wildfire
Low
Earthquake
Low
Flood
High

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Oxford listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Oxford area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
75%
Very humid climate
Median household income
$52,700
Mississippi state median
Top industries (state-level)
ManufacturingHealthcareAgriculture

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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