Oxford, Mississippi
Oxford is the 14th most populous city in Mississippi, and the county seat of Lafayette County, 75 miles (121 km) southeast of Memphis. A college town, the University of Mississippi or "Ole Miss" is adjacent to the city. Founded in 1837, it is named for Oxford, England.
Oxford, Mississippi | |
|---|---|
From top, left to right: Swayze Field, Square Books, Oxford's downtown Square, The Grove at Ole Miss, The Lyceum at the University of Mississippi, Rowan Oak, Vaught–Hemingway Stadium, The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss | |
|
Flag Logo | |
Location of Oxford, Mississippi | |
Oxford, Mississippi Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 34°21′35″N 89°31′34″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Lafayette |
| Named for | Oxford, England |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Robyn Tannehill |
| Area | |
| • Total | 26.71 sq mi (69.18 km2) |
| • Land | 26.62 sq mi (68.94 km2) |
| • Water | 0.09 sq mi (0.24 km2) |
| Elevation | 505 ft (154 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 25,416 |
| • Density | 954.88/sq mi (368.68/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code | 38655 |
| Area code | 662 |
| FIPS code | 28-54840 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0691644 |
| Website | www |
Purchasing the land from a Chickasaw, pioneers founded Oxford in 1837. In 1841, the Mississippi State Legislature selected it as the site of the state's first university, Ole Miss. Oxford is also the hometown of Nobel Prize-winning novelist William Faulkner, and served as the inspiration for his fictional Jefferson in Yoknapatawpha County. Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, who served as a US Supreme Court Justice and Secretary of the Interior, also lived and is buried in Oxford.
At the 2020 US Census, the population was 25,416.