City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Oxford, AL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Oxford - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

22,063
Residents
$70,065
Median income
$164,700
Median home
$962
Median rent (state)

Oxford - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Oxford lands in the 49th percentile for household income and the 18th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

49th
percentile, household income
32nd
percentile, home value
12th
percentile, median rent
18th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Oxford, AL

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 22,063 residents in Oxford, a small city within Alabama. The typical household in Oxford brings in $70,065 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 16.1%. Oxford's housing stock carries a median value of $164,700, and the median resident age is 37.2 years. 24.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 57.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 98 residential building permits were authorized in Oxford (Rapid Growth), up 48% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Oxford's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2804.2 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Alabama run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Alabama scores 88.8 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $962 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Alabama's average monthly utility costs around $245 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 88.5 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

22,063 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$70,065 /yr

Poverty 16.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Oxford compare to other US cities?

Here's how Oxford stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 49% higher than other cities
Home value 32% pricier than other cities
Median rent 12% pricier than other cities
Safety 18% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Alabama alone, Oxford ranks #157 of 222 Alabama cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Oxford against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Alabama only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Alabama-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Oxford toward the top of Alabama's cities

Among the 556 Alabama cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Oxford ranks #125 - the 78th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Oxford only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#127 of 530
76th percentile in Alabama
Median Gross Rent
#240 of 556
55th percentile in Alabama
Median Home Value
#198 of 517
62nd percentile in Alabama
Poverty Rate
#187 of 556
66th percentile in Alabama
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#125 of 556
78th percentile in Alabama

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Alabama only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

49thIncome percentile
18thSafety percentile

49th percentile nationally for median household income · 18th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Oxford's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Oxford's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 48 Avg. percentile National median
Oxford's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Oxford's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$164,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 68% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Oxford $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Oxford, AL Oxford, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Oxford, AL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Oxford, AL median $70,065/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Oxford, AL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Oxford, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 24.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 16.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
22,063
Median Income
$70,065
Median Home Value
$164,700
Median Age
37.2
Poverty Rate
16.1%
Labor force participation
57.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2804.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
145.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2659.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
22,000 residents22,100 residents22,200 residents22,300 residents 202020212022202320242025 22,128 residents 22,199 residents ▲ +0.3%
Oxford's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
98
housing units authorized
Single-Family
98
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 66
2020 67
2021 29
2022 26
2023 29
2024 98

Permit volume increased 48% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
83.4%
Carpool
12.0%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
0.8%
Work from Home
3.3%

Based on 9,997 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Alabama - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$138
avg/month
Natural Gas
$62
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$245
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Alabama state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Alabama state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Oxford sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$962/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
88.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Mountain Brook
22,160 people
Foley
22,330 people
Albertville
22,584 people
Helena
21,452 people
Anniston
21,377 people
Fairhope
23,360 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Oxford's 22,063 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Langley Park, MD
22,057 people
Oxford, OH
22,069 people
Chambersburg, PA
22,051 people
Hastings, MN
22,050 people
East Ridge, TN
22,034 people
Sanford, ME
22,095 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Oxford's $70,065 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Sarasota, FL
$70,065 median income
El Paso, IL
$70,063 median income
Mecosta, MI
$70,069 median income
Vicksburg, MI
$70,070 median income
McMinnville, OR
$70,060 median income
Paragonah, UT
$70,057 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Oxford, AL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Oxford, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 73.9% 16.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.3% White 73.9% Black or African American 16.6% Asian 1.1% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.3% Two or more races 4.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Oxford compares to nearby Alabama cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Oxford (this city) 22,063 $70,065
Mountain Brook 22,160 $191,128
Foley 22,330 $67,346
Albertville 22,584 $57,103
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Oxford, AL?

What is the population of Oxford, AL? +

22,063 people live in Oxford, AL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Oxford, AL? +

Median annual household income in Oxford runs $70,065, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Oxford? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Oxford; the closest available measure is the Alabama state average, a cost of living index of 88.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Alabama vary by metro area.

Is Oxford, AL safe? +

Oxford has a total crime rate of 2804.2 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Oxford, AL? +

The median home value in Oxford is $164,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.