District 4
RANK #255 / 996 NAT · #8 / 15 MS · POP 56,172
1YR FORECAST: +3.2%
5YR OUTLOOK: +30%
Lafayette County, Mississippi, stands out as the home of Oxford, a city consistently recognized among the best small towns in the American South and known for its literary heritage and vibrant dining scene. Located about 75 miles southeast of Memphis, Tennessee, and 55 miles west of Tupelo, Mississippi, Oxford serves as the county seat and a cultural hub. The community offers a blend of university energy and small-city livability, with a commute time averaging 22.3 minutes for residents. Outdoor recreation is accessible, with over 200,000 acres of public parks, forests, and lakes nearby, including Sardis Lake and Holly Springs National Forest, providing opportunities for hiking, biking, fishing, and boating.
Life in Lafayette County offers a mix of Southern hospitality and cultural richness. The county is attractive to families, with two public school districts, Oxford School District and Lafayette County School District, both reporting high graduation rates. The economy is significantly influenced by the University of Mississippi, which acts as a primary economic driver, alongside strong sectors in healthcare, retail, and manufacturing. Recent economic developments include efforts to expand existing industries and attract new businesses, with a focus on technology-based jobs and fostering innovation through partnerships with the University of Mississippi. Additionally, regional alliances are forming to attract larger economic projects by pooling resources across counties.
Above national median (4.7x)
Moderate climate & terrain
Housing is fairly valued at 5.5x relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Uplands Wind Project (Lafayette County portion)
Pattern Energy
|
$500M | Proposed |
|
Oxford Residential and Commercial Construction
Various Developers
|
$305M | Under Construction |
|
State Route 7 Widening Project
Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT)
|
$139M | Under Construction |
|
Max D. Hipp Industrial Park Transformation & Upgrades
Oxford-Lafayette County Economic Development Foundation (EDF)
|
$50M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 996 counties.
With a Boom Town Index score of 74/100, Lafayette County sits in the upper half of all 996 ranked counties. Employment is expanding at +1.4%, and median household income stands at $59,748 — indicators that suggest solid fundamentals even if it's not among the fastest-growing counties in MS.
Lafayette County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $242,800 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.25 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $1,092/month on average.
Lafayette County is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +0.8% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +1.4% clip — and home values reflect that momentum, rising +4.0% over the past 12 months.
In significant numbers — 5.08% of Lafayette County's current population relocated from another state, well above the national norm. That level of in-migration usually signals a county where jobs, affordability, or quality of life are pulling people in from elsewhere.