Living in Oxford
Oxford is a family town that is proud to be the home of Miami University. While the oldest section of town (the original Mile Square) is a popular location for student renters, it also is the heart of activity where local residents do business, eat out, attend church, and enjoy community activities. Students can sometimes forget that they share Oxford with other residents, and occasionally need a reminder that there are families here, and that community expectations include complying with the local laws to maintain a desired quality of life for everyone.
All residents, including students, will be held accountable for property maintenance, proper handling of trash and recycling, shoveling of sidewalks, monitoring of noise, and appropriate hosting of events at residential locations.
As a member of the Oxford community, you’re encouraged to take advantage of all that Oxford has to offer. It is home to beautiful nature trails, sporting events, performances, festivals and many locally-owned family restaurants and stores. Students often don’t realize the many amenities at their fingertips. Enjoy Oxford is a great place to start in learning about your many options for exploring and enjoying Oxford.
Enjoy Oxford
Looking for things to do in Oxford? Enjoy Oxford provides recommendations and suggested itineraries for a day out! You may be surprised at what Oxford can offer art enthusiasts, historians, nature lovers, and those just seeking adventure.
Oxford History
Miami University was chartered in 1809 and the town streets of Oxford were platted in 1810. The village of Oxford was incorporated in 1830 with a population of 700 residents. A charter form of government was adopted in 1961 with a seven member City Council to serve as the governing body and a City Manager to run daily operations.
The heart of the uptown district runs through the middle of the Mile Square. Also located in this area are the McCullough-Hyde Hospital, Lane Public Library, the Municipal Building, Oxford Police Department, Oxford Fire Department, Area I Court Building, area schools, and many local churches and religious organizations.
In the 1950's, annexation of lands outside the Mile Square began and the city boundaries changed.
By the 1970's, Oxford’s population grew large enough to become a city.
1950's—the village expanded to 1.25 miles
1980s—the City grew to roughly 4 miles in size
1996—Oxford City limits expanded to 5.7 miles
Correspondingly, Miami University has grown over the years as well.
In 1950 there were 5,000 students.
In 1967 there were about 10,000 students.
In 1980 there were 15,000 students.
In 2000 there were 16,500 students.
That number has held relatively steady since then.
As the student population increased, the demand for housing increased and much of the older housing was converted to student rentals, particularly in the Mile Square.
More information about the history of Oxford can be found at the City of Oxford's website.