Oxford is a residential town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region. The population was 12,706 at the 2020 Census. Oxford is the 26th-wealthiest town in the state by median household income. Distinct settled areas in the town include Oxford Center, Quaker Farms, and Riverside. Oxford belongs to the Bridgeport–Stamford–Norwalk Metropolitan Statistical Area, a subregion of the New York metropolitan area.
History
In the 18th century, farmers herded livestock through Oxford from as far away as Litchfield on the way to the port of New Haven. In the 19th century, the town lost population as farmers moved to work in better-paying factories.
Oxford was incorporated in October 1798. The town is named after Oxford, in England.
2001 anthrax death
In November 2001, Oxford made international headlines when one of its residents, 94-year-old Ottilie Lundgren, became the fifth and last person to be killed by the 2001 anthrax attacks that occurred shortly after the September 11 attacks. The lack of any additional cases in the area suggested Lundgren's death was the result of accidental cross-contamination of the mail.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.78%, is water.
The towns bordering Oxford are Monroe, Newtown, Southbury, Middlebury, Naugatuck, Beacon Falls, Seymour and Shelton.
Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 12,683 people, 4,504 households, and 3,672 families residing in the town. Oxford's population increased 29.1% between 2000 and 2010, making it the fastest-growing municipality in Connecticut for that period. The population density was . There were 4,746 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 95.5% White, 1.1% African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.6% some other race, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.7% of the population.
There were 4,504 households, out of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.4% were headed by married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.5% were non-families. 14.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81, and the average family size was 3.12.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 33.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.9 males.
Oxford belongs to Connecticut's 4th congressional district, which stretches from lower Fairfield County to western New Haven County.
In 2016, the average income for a household in the town was $137,766, with a median income of $110,602. The median home value was $405,900.
Economy
A University of Connecticut development study spanning 1985–2006 showed that Oxford had the largest increase of development by percentage, growing 62% during that time. The median household income in town grew 20%, ranking Oxford the 26th wealthiest of 169 communities in the state.
Arts and culture
The Oxford Public Library was originally founded in 1883 and has moved several times, including to a new location in 2018.
Museums and other points of interest
Quaker Farms Historic District
Wooster Sawmill and Gristmill Site
Twitchell-Rowland Homestead Center and Museum
The people of Oxford and the Oxford Historical Society were honored with a Connecticut Trust Preservation Award in 2012 for preservation efforts with respect to the Twitchell-Rowland Homestead.
Parks and recreation
Among the parks serving Oxford residents are Southford Falls State Park in the northern section of town, Jackson Cove Beach, and Kirks Pond in the center of town. The Larkin State Park Trail, created in the 1940s from the path of a former train track, is one of the earliest examples of the "rails-to-trails" movement.
The Golf Club at Oxford Greens, a public golf course with over 400 homes for "active adults" over the age of 55, is located in town.