Rents are 13% below what Oxford's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,338 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Oxford usually run 1.6% below trend in January and 1.3% above it in October, about $68 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.
Rent in Oxford is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in October 2021.
Rent in Oxford changed +4.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 23 Mississippi cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.8%.
Rent has risen 5 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($64,451) is $1,611 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,330); a 3-bedroom is $1,670.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Oxford. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Oxford, MS is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 57.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Oxford, MS has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2022, rent in Oxford, MS has climbed by $863 per month, settling near $2,338 after starting the period at $1,475. Census figures show median household income at $64,451 today, compared with $51,096 five years earlier. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 32.4 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 25,859 to 26,411 between 2021 and 2024, a 2.1% change. About 56.8% of households rent today, against 58.6% in 2021. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2022.
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Can you afford rent in Oxford on your salary?
At $2,338/mo, how Oxford rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Oxford rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Oxford. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Oxford
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Oxford is $2,338/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,120/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,330/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,130/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,670/mo.
At 44% of local median household income ($64,451/yr), Oxford ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Oxford rent compare to other cities in Mississippi?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Oxford?
At $2,338/mo, rent takes ~44% of Oxford's median household income ($64,451/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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