True Cost of Renting in Oxford, MS

Oxford is home to the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) — and the Square's bookstores, Square Books, and restaurant scene have made it the most literarily significant college town in the South. William Faulkner's Rowan Oak is a walking distance from campus. Ole Miss football's Vaught-Hemingway Stadium creates game-day demand that rivals much larger universities. Rents are surprisingly high for a small Mississippi city.

Neighborhoods & Average Rents

The Square / Oxford Downtown

Studio:
$950/mo
1 Bed:
$1,100/mo
2 Bed:
$1,500/mo

Oxford's famous courthouse square; walkable restaurants, Square Books, and entertainment. Apartments above retail and in surrounding blocks command premiums for location. Very competitive — sign early. Entergy Mississippi electric.

Oxford University Area

Studio:
$850/mo
1 Bed:
$1,000/mo
2 Bed:
$1,400/mo

Student-adjacent neighborhoods around the Ole Miss campus; August lease synchronization. Walk to campus and The Square. Older houses and apartment buildings at lower rents than The Square proper.

South Oxford / Old Taylor Road

1 Bed:
$1,100/mo
2 Bed:
$1,500/mo

Residential area with newer apartment communities south of campus; lower game-day noise impact. Car helpful. Ole Miss Grove tailgating access still practical. Better for non-student long-term renters.

Utility Providers

Electric
Entergy Mississippi
Water
City of Oxford Water Utilities
Internet
Comcast Xfinity, AT&T Internet, Starlink

Commute & Transportation

Oxford is 75 miles south of Memphis, TN on US-78 (I-22). Memphis is the nearest major airport and employment center. Ole Miss (22,000 students, 3,500 staff) dominates local employment. The Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi is the largest non-university employer. Oxford is not a commuter suburb — it is a destination city best suited for those with local or remote employment.

Rental Market Overview

Oxford rents run higher than comparable-sized Mississippi cities due to Ole Miss demand and the town's national reputation. Entergy Mississippi summer bills average $110–170/month. Ole Miss game weekends (6–7 home games per year) create intense short-term rental demand that local landlords leverage with seasonal pricing clauses. The Square's cultural reputation attracts remote workers and creatives who find the town's literary character compelling at below-Nashville prices. Mississippi has no state-level rent control, so the game-weekend pricing clauses above are entirely a matter of what a specific lease says, not a legal ceiling. Read that clause before signing rather than after the first home game surprises you with an unexpected charge.

Data last updated: 2026-04

Compare Apartments in Oxford

Enter your rental options below to see the true all-in monthly cost.

Renting in Oxford: Common Questions

What is the average rent in Oxford?
One-bedroom apartments in Oxford range from $1,000/month in Oxford University Area to $1,100/month in South Oxford / Old Taylor Road. Two-bedroom units range from $1,400 to $1,500/month. These are base rents — add fees, utilities, and amenity costs to get the true all-in monthly cost.
What utilities do I need to set up in Oxford?
In Oxford, electricity is provided by Entergy Mississippi, water by City of Oxford Water Utilities, and common internet providers include Comcast Xfinity, AT&T Internet, Starlink. Ask the leasing office for the specific unit's average monthly bill rather than a city-wide figure — utility costs vary more by building age and insulation than by location within Oxford.
What neighborhoods are affordable in Oxford?
Oxford University Area is the most affordable of the 3 Oxford neighborhoods covered here, at $1,000/month for a one-bedroom — $100 less than South Oxford / Old Taylor Road, roughly a 9% gap. That swing is often bigger than any fee or amenity difference between two buildings in the same neighborhood, which is why comparing across neighborhoods matters as much as comparing within one.
Is Oxford expensive to rent in?
Across the 3 neighborhoods covered here, the average one-bedroom in Oxford runs about $1,067/month before fees, utilities, and amenities are added — and those add-ons are exactly what a bare average hides. Oxford rents run higher than comparable-sized Mississippi cities due to Ole Miss demand and the town's national reputation. Run the specific units you are considering through RentCompare to see the true all-in monthly cost rather than relying on an area average.

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