Population 19,178 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Oxford
Household size in Oxford
| Period | Oxford | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.64 | 2.40 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.67 | 2.44 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.56 | 2.43 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.38 | 2.40 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.26 | +0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Oxford are small: just 2.38 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.64 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Oxford
| Period | Oxford | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.1 | 36.9 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.5 | 37.7 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.7 | 39.2 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.5 | 39.9 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.4 | +2.9 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.5, Oxford is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 41.1 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the southeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Oxford
| Period | Oxford | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.0% | 12.0% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.6% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.7% | 11.0% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.2% | 10.2% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | −1.8 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in seven households in Oxford (15.2%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 1.1 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Oxford has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of North Carolina cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Oxford
Renters in Oxford
| Period | Oxford | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.4% | 38.7% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.4% | 39.8% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.6% | 39.3% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.7% | 37.8% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −0.9 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Oxford rent their homes (32.7%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in the Chapel Hill area as a whole (37.8%). Among homeowners, 47.7% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has edged up 1.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Oxford
| Period | Oxford | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 11.2% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.4% | 9.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.5% | 9.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Oxford is close to the national rate: 10.9% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Chapel Hill area as a whole (9.2%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.0 points, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Oxford
| Period | Oxford | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1983 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1984 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1986 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1991 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Oxford are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1982, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are older than in the Chapel Hill area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1991. The median year built has moved up from 1978 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the center.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Oxford
| Period | Oxford | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $649 | $889 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $666 | $951 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $799 | $1,102 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $922 | $1,501 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$273 | +$612 | +$528 | +$606 |
Rent in Oxford runs $922 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $273 a month from 2006–10, a 42% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 28.7% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Oxford
Bachelor's degrees in Oxford
| Period | Oxford | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.6% | 43.7% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.6% | 45.7% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.9% | 48.5% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.0% | 53.9% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +10.2 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Oxford: 19.0% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 4.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the south.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Oxford
| Period | Oxford | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.5% | 86.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 79.3% | 88.4% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.1% | 89.4% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.9% | 91.5% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.4 pts | +4.7 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Oxford have finished high school as nationally: 88.9%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the Chapel Hill area as a whole (91.5%). The share with a diploma is up 10.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Oxford
| Period | Oxford | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 7.8% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 8.6% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 4.5% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 4.0% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.6 pts | −3.8 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.8%, unemployment in Oxford is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is higher than in the wider Chapel Hill area (4.0%). Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.6 points, in line with the national trend.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Oxford compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxford | 2.38 | 44.5 | 15.2% | 32.7% | 10.9% | 1982 | $922 | 19.0% | 88.9% | 5.8% |
| Kinton Fork | 2.35 | 50.9 | 22.9% | 38.1% | 5.0% | 1986 | $957 | 17.1% | 82.1% | 1.5% |
| Lewis | 2.46 | 46.6 | 15.1% | 24.2% | 6.2% | 1989 | $912 | 25.9% | 89.3% | 8.9% |
| Huntsboro | 2.03 | 53.4 | 3.7% | 10.0% | 10.3% | 1990 | $990 | 35.2% | 95.3% | 5.7% |
| Dickerson | 2.23 | 54.1 | 6.5% | 13.2% | 11.5% | 1991 | $815 | 25.9% | 95.1% | 3.5% |
| Fairport | 2.32 | 49.4 | 8.7% | 18.8% | 17.6% | 1993 | $824 | 29.5% | 97.9% | 1.9% |
| Culbreth | 2.28 | 45.6 | 1.4% | 3.4% | 4.4% | 1997 | $1,051 | 21.7% | 90.2% | 5.0% |
| Berea | 2.71 | 31.8 | 19.2% | 15.1% | 11.2% | 1987 | $987 | 12.5% | 87.4% | 4.2% |
| Shoofly | 2.16 | 49.2 | 7.4% | 6.5% | 8.3% | 1990 | $1,056 | 21.4% | 96.2% | 0.5% |
| Satterwhite | 2.79 | 38.2 | 16.4% | 19.8% | 21.2% | 1980 | $913 | 15.2% | 88.1% | 3.5% |
| Dexter | 2.92 | 40.7 | 9.6% | 17.2% | 10.6% | 1996 | $869 | 11.8% | 89.6% | 5.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Maryland City, MD · Pottsville, PA · Portland, TX · Moraga, CA · Monroe, CT · Mineral Wells, TX · Milford, DE · Metuchen, NJ · Mckinleyville, CA · Mayfield, KY
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Oxford. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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