Jobs, pay and daily life in Oxford, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Oxford is a city in Alabama with 22,063 residents. The median household earns $74,268 a year and the median rent is $925 a month, which is 14.9% of the median household income. It is part of the Anniston-Oxford, AL metropolitan area, where BLS counts 43,570 jobs.
How Oxford compares. Among the 80 largest places in Alabama, Oxford is #29 by population, #71 for remote work (#1 = most), #21 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #28 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Calhoun County, is #32 of 67 counties for average pay ($51,354).
Oxford has 22,063 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of Alabama. It covers 32 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 691 people per square mile. The median age is 38.3, about the same as the state median (38.3 against 39.3).
The median gross rent is $925 a month (rent plus utilities), 8% below the state median ($925 against $1,007). Over a year that is 14.9% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $170,900, which is 2.3 times the median household income ($74,268); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 75.1% of households own their home, 7% above the state average (75.1% against 70.2%).
The Anniston-Oxford, AL metropolitan area has 43,570 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $42,680 a year, 16% below the national median ($42,680 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (5,840 jobs, median $46,070); food preparation and serving related (4,580 jobs, median $26,410); sales and related (4,440 jobs, median $30,420). The area is most specialised in production (2.4 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are production ($46,070). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Calhoun County was 4.1%. 62.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Calhoun County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 84.1% drive alone, 0.3% use public transit, 0.7% walk, 4.2% work from home. 12.4% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 15% below the state average (12.4% against 14.7%).
24.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 13% below the state share (24.8% against 28.4%). 4.4% of residents were born outside the United States, 10% above the state share (4.4% against 4.0%). The poverty rate is 15.8%, about the same as the state rate (15.8% against 15.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.6°C), and the coolest is Jan at 42°F (5.3°C). About 1,312 mm (52 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (132 mm) and Oct the driest (79 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Anniston (6 miles, rent 14% lower); Saks (8 miles, similar rent); Jacksonville (16 miles, rent 11% lower); Talladega (18 miles, rent 16% lower). Rent differences are against Oxford; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Alabama (395) →State guide: AlabamaCountry guideCalhoun CountyAlabama rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 395 federal postings open in Alabama (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Alabama →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 1,530 | 1.40 | $29,400 | $22,470 | $44,750 | -17% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,450 | 3.67 | $46,070 | $31,680 | $51,040 | +3% |
| Cashiers | 1,290 | 1.49 | $27,130 | $21,200 | $32,720 | -17% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,080 | 1.00 | $22,650 | $20,420 | $28,580 | -27% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,060 | 1.33 | $29,810 | $27,100 | $43,610 | -20% |
| Registered Nurses | 990 | 1.04 | $72,730 | $50,190 | $89,470 | -25% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 900 | 1.88 | $39,800 | $27,520 | $56,720 | -16% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 820 | 4.59 | $26,410 | $22,500 | $30,590 | -15% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 800 | 0.97 | $38,710 | $25,560 | $48,400 | -4% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 680 | 1.17 | $50,550 | $38,430 | $71,200 | -14% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 670 | 1.72 | $61,200 | $47,360 | $71,790 | -4% |
| Nursing Assistants | 660 | 1.62 | $31,920 | $26,080 | $38,870 | -24% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 600 | 0.95 | $24,640 | $16,010 | $34,580 | -30% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 590 | 1.86 | $44,350 | $26,990 | $69,970 | -9% |
| General and Operations Managers | 550 | 0.56 | $98,540 | $47,990 | $222,780 | -7% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 520 | 0.84 | $29,530 | $23,690 | $38,110 | -20% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 470 | 1.37 | $35,510 | $28,380 | $55,330 | -19% |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | 460 | 3.73 | $60,640 | $45,830 | $73,770 | -6% |
| Helpers--Production Workers | 460 | 9.83 | $29,340 | $26,780 | $37,910 | -25% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 430 | 0.59 | $36,190 | $29,450 | $48,310 | -19% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 550 | 0.56 | $98,540 | $47,990 | $222,780 | -7% |
| Registered Nurses | 990 | 1.04 | $72,730 | $50,190 | $89,470 | -25% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 670 | 1.72 | $61,200 | $47,360 | $71,790 | -4% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 680 | 1.17 | $50,550 | $38,430 | $71,200 | -14% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,450 | 3.67 | $46,070 | $31,680 | $51,040 | +3% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 590 | 1.86 | $44,350 | $26,990 | $69,970 | -9% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 900 | 1.88 | $39,800 | $27,520 | $56,720 | -16% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 800 | 0.97 | $38,710 | $25,560 | $48,400 | -4% |
| Nursing Assistants | 660 | 1.62 | $31,920 | $26,080 | $38,870 | -24% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,060 | 1.33 | $29,810 | $27,100 | $43,610 | -20% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 520 | 0.84 | $29,530 | $23,690 | $38,110 | -20% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,530 | 1.40 | $29,400 | $22,470 | $44,750 | -17% |
| Cashiers | 1,290 | 1.49 | $27,130 | $21,200 | $32,720 | -17% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 820 | 4.59 | $26,410 | $22,500 | $30,590 | -15% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 600 | 0.95 | $24,640 | $16,010 | $34,580 | -30% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,080 | 1.00 | $22,650 | $20,420 | $28,580 | -27% |
These figures are for the whole Anniston-Oxford, AL metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $42,680 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.1% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.8% |
| Manufacturing | 20.2% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 10.8% |
| Retail trade | 10.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 5.9% |
| Public administration | 5.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.1% |
| Construction | 4.2% |
| Other services | 3.9% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.1% |
| Information | 0.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county (the first of several) where Oxford lies and cover the whole county, not only the city. The city also extends into Talladega County.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calhoun County | 116,090 | $6,288 million | $54,161 | 43,778 | 2,828 | $51,354 | +0.3% | 4.1% | 49,415 |
| Talladega County | 81,021 | $4,496 million | $55,496 | 31,690 | 1,578 | $58,301 | +0.2% | 4.1% | 34,702 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 6,654 | 20.9% | $70,682 | 1.85 |
| Retail trade | 5,975 | 18.7% | $33,084 | 1.37 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,841 | 15.2% | $20,792 | 1.22 |
| Health care and social assistance | 3,930 | 12.3% | $50,361 | 0.63 |
| Administrative and waste services | 2,217 | 6.9% | $40,364 | 0.86 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,645 | 5.2% | $65,110 | 0.95 |
| Construction | 1,142 | 3.6% | $69,642 | 0.50 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,077 | 3.4% | $50,186 | 0.58 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,064 | 3.3% | $57,365 | 0.35 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 908 | 2.8% | $38,932 | 0.69 |
| Finance and insurance | 816 | 2.6% | $75,411 | 0.46 |
| Real estate and rental | 446 | 1.4% | $45,205 | 0.66 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 324 | 1.0% | $23,571 | 0.44 |
| Information | 274 | 0.9% | $53,232 | 0.33 |
| Educational services | 273 | 0.9% | $36,019 | 0.30 |
| Utilities | 218 | 0.7% | $121,879 | 1.31 |
| Management of companies | 97 | 0.3% | $137,257 | 0.13 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 84.1% |
| Public transit | 0.3% |
| Walk | 0.7% |
| Work from home | 4.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 12.4% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $74,268 |
| Income per person | $35,530 |
| Median gross rent per month | $925 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 14.9% |
| Median home value | $170,900 |
| Homeowners | 75.1% |
| Poverty rate | 15.8% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 85.9 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $42,680 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 5.00%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 38.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 24.8% |
| Born abroad | 4.4% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 62.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.3 | 42 | 113 |
| Feb | 7.4 | 45 | 127 |
| Mar | 11.7 | 53 | 124 |
| Apr | 16.2 | 61 | 109 |
| May | 20.8 | 69 | 114 |
| Jun | 25.0 | 77 | 105 |
| Jul | 26.6 | 80 | 117 |
| Aug | 26.4 | 80 | 100 |
| Sep | 23.1 | 74 | 90 |
| Oct | 17.2 | 63 | 79 |
| Nov | 10.9 | 52 | 102 |
| Dec | 7.0 | 45 | 132 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anniston | AL | 6 mi | 21,271 | $46,668 | $799 |
| Saks | AL | 8 mi | 10,681 | $49,753 | $898 |
| Jacksonville | AL | 16 mi | 14,437 | $51,814 | $820 |
| Talladega | AL | 18 mi | 14,760 | $44,198 | $776 |
| Southside | AL | 22 mi | 9,483 | $76,487 | $1,184 |
| Pell City | AL | 23 mi | 13,587 | $68,638 | $1,099 |
| Rainbow City | AL | 26 mi | 10,284 | $56,398 | $1,048 |
| Gadsden | AL | 30 mi | 33,374 | $40,345 | $808 |
| Moody | AL | 36 mi | 13,488 | $86,627 | $1,553 |
| Sylacauga | AL | 37 mi | 12,309 | $50,017 | $773 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
22,063 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$925 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 14.9% of the median household income.
$74,268 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.1% (BLS county, Calhoun County (latest month 2026M09)).
Alabama. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.