Is Hattiesburg more liberal/cosmopolitan than Oxford? (Jackson, Biloxi: middle-class, condos)

[tennreb]

Originally Posted by williboy

Hattiesburg is also much larger than Oxford.
Hattiesburg - Pop. - 44,000 plus
Oxford - 11,000 plus

The City of Oxford's population is about 20k, which is a good thing. After living in Knoxville, which has 500k in its metro, you realize that size doesn't matter when it comes to cosmopolitan. Oxford is much more cosmopolitan than Knoxville.

[blueridgemama]

Hattisburg is your typical Walmart and strip-mall kinda town. It has some nice parts and it is a bigger town than Oxford, but Oxford is...I guess...classier. It has a really nice historic district that is the centerpiece of the town. It is trying to develop itself by bringing in more chains restaurants and shops, but hopefully they will continue to honor the core of why people want to be there, which is definitely the historic areas and independent stores and restaurants. It is a unique town, for certain. Hattisburg, in my experience, is run-of-the-mill. Hattisburg has Jackson as it's nearest big city. Oxford has Memphis. Both are about an hour away. Memphis, of course, offers much more in the way of music, shopping, and restaurant scenes.

[tennreb]

There's a good article about how cosmopolitan Oxford is in this months issue of National Geographic Traveler (near the back). There's also a good article in the January/February issue of Garden & Gun.

[winkatme]

Originally Posted by tennreb

Hattiesburg is a typical suburban town with typical chain restaurants and strip malls. Oxford is like a mini Charleston. Oxford appears more conservative to people who don't know the town because it looks like the classic picture-perfect Southern town (as does Charleston). However, Oxford is probably the most liberal town in the state. Ole Miss is classically a liberal arts college, while Southern Miss has is roots as a teachers school. Many of those vestiges remain. The arts scene in Oxford is much larger, so much so that USA Today named it the "New South Arts Mecca." The music scene in Oxford is great. Most of the bands playing in Hattiesburg are ones venturing down from Oxford. Also, there are a lot of events held in Oxford that Hattiesburg just can't get, like the programs at the Ford Center or the 2008 presidential debates. There are many liberal free-spirited types living in Oxford, though this is decreasing as cost of living has skyrocketed. For more of an objective measurement, Lafayette (Oxford) voted against the gay marriage ban by 22%, while Forrest-Lamar (Hattiesburg) voted against the gay marriage ban by 14%. I couldn't get the city numbers, though I'd bet the disparity is much greater. Neither are liberal bastions, but Oxford is easily the more cosmopolitan.

I am going to have to disagree with a few of these points. Hattiesburg's art scene is a fairly large one with festivals held in the Fall and Spring each year. There have been many efforts in the past three years to really promote the arts in and around the area and from my experiences, I say it is working. Also, the music scene in Hattiesburg is so much better than in Oxford. Yes, Hattiesburg hosts artists from Oxford, but also from places all over the country. If you are into Indie type stuff, the Thirsty Hippo is always host to amazing artists. If you are more into popular stuff, the Bottling Company has grown to such great heights in the past year and has had major artists perform. The music and arts scene in Hattiesburg is great and without a doubt better than that in Oxford. It is diverse, growing, and on going.

[williboy]

Originally Posted by tennreb

The City of Oxford's population is about 20k, which is a good thing. After living in Knoxville, which has 500k in its metro, you realize that size doesn't matter when it comes to cosmopolitan. Oxford is much more cosmopolitan than Knoxville.

From the respective Oxford and Hattiesburg official websites:

Oxford - 2008 estimated population - 19,000.
Lafeyette County - 39,000.

Hattiesburg - 2008 estimated population - 50,000.
Greater Hattiesburg Metro Area - 100,000.

[williboy]

I've been to both places many times and while Oxford is a very nice place, Hattiesburg is much more diverse and cosmopolitan. At least in my observation. (which is probably not worth much)

[tennreb]

Originally Posted by winkatme

I am going to have to disagree with a few of these points. Hattiesburg's art scene is a fairly large one with festivals held in the Fall and Spring each year. There have been many efforts in the past three years to really promote the arts in and around the area and from my experiences, I say it is working. Also, the music scene in Hattiesburg is so much better than in Oxford. Yes, Hattiesburg hosts artists from Oxford, but also from places all over the country. If you are into Indie type stuff, the Thirsty Hippo is always host to amazing artists. If you are more into popular stuff, the Bottling Company has grown to such great heights in the past year and has had major artists perform. The music and arts scene in Hattiesburg is great and without a doubt better than that in Oxford. It is diverse, growing, and on going.

Moderator cut: edit Publication after publication (like the New York Times, USA Today, Southern Living, etc) has expounded on the arts scene in Oxford. Band after band has come out of Oxford. In fact, there are two recording studios there. Does Hattiesburg have any? Morgan Freeman is even opening a blues club in Oxford. Hattiesburg may have some new music venues, but ones in Oxford have been hosting major acts for decades. Hattiesburg may have been attempting to promote the arts for the past three years, but this is something that Oxford has been doing for many, many years. The shopping magazine Lucky said Oxford was a small town with big city shopping. Hattiesburg's shopping is pretty much limited to chain stores in a typical mall. Hattiesburg has a couple of decent restaurants, though it is dominated by chains. Oxford's Southern Foodways Alliance attracts top chefs and food writers from all over the South. Local chefs include a James Beard nominee and a protege of Mario Batali. Oxford has a world-class endowed performing arts center that hosts national touring acts. Does Hattiesburg? Has there been any national publication extoling the virtues of the arts, culinary, and shopping in Hattiesburg?

[DvlsAdvc8]

Oxford is more cheese and wine - and conservative. Hattiesburg wins everything else, is more liberal and is an hour from the beach. Hattiesburg FTW!

[soulful]

Wow, their certainly seems to be a lot of differences in opinion about these two towns.

[Essejae]

I have lived in both Oxford and Hattiesburg (I now live in Boston and still have connections to both towns). Both are unique but I prefer Oxford. Oxford reminds me a lot of Boston in terms of the University and town cultures. It has as sense of timelessness, gentility, quality, and a unique vibrance. There is something there that just says, "home" and yet, the annual migration of new students to Ole Miss renews its vitality and brings new ideas.

Being located between major highways, Hattiesburg has a transient feel, as if it is a stop on the way to somewhere else.