Oxford (Cincinnati, Hamilton, Northgate: middle-class, apartment, crime)

[annamarie11]

I am a 24 year old college student relocating to Oxford. I would like to know anything you can tell me about it. How safe it is, what's around it as far as restaurants, shopping centers and malls, etc. Also about how long a commute to Cincinnati is, and once you get out of Oxford if it is a pretty rural area. Anything will help! I would love to know what to expect.

[kjbrill]

Oxford is plain and simple a college town. Everything revolves around Miami University. As you might expect entertainment, restaurants, shops are geared to the tastes of college students

Once you leave Oxford you are rural. Nearby is a state park named Heuston Woods which covers 3,000 acres and the 825 acre Action Lake.

Enter Miami University Oxford into Google Maps and you will get a pretty good feel for the surroundings. If you zoom out you will see Route 27 is the main highway to Cincinnati and where it intersects I-275 is your first opportunity for shopping, etc.

From Oxford to downtown Cincinnati is 40 miles and about a 1 hr drive.

[jon1987]

^ That pretty much.

[Wilson513]

^^That pretty much more.

[abr7rmj]

Oxford is one of the most quaint, picturesque college towns you'll find. I love visiting college towns and getting a feel for their local flavor. And I'd put Oxford in the top 5 college towns I've ever experienced (though second in Ohio after Denison University in Granville). And this is coming from someone who graduated from one of Miami's main MAC rivals.

Despite its proximity, the drive to/from much of Cincinnati isn't the easiest in the world, particularly in winter months. But that is part of the charm of Oxford. You wouldn't want six-lane highways barreling through rendering your town to little more than a highway exit.

[annamarie11]

Thank you so much for all of your help! I eventually want to relocate to somewhere closer to Cincy, but since I don't know the area too well, I decided Oxford would be safe, because it's a college town. Then I can scope out the areas when I get more comfortable and really get to know them.

[Sarah Perry]

Originally Posted by annamarie11

Thank you so much for all of your help! I eventually want to relocate to somewhere closer to Cincy, but since I don't know the area too well, I decided Oxford would be safe, because it's a college town. Then I can scope out the areas when I get more comfortable and really get to know them.

All in all, I think you're correct in assuming Oxford is safe. However, there are regular news reports of students failing to exercise sufficient caution, so don't become the person who's mugged, robbed or otherwise attacked after having too much to drink and staggering home alone at 2 a.m. Or whose unlocked apartment is robbed in the middle of the day. Just use common sense.

[insightofitall]

Annamarie, I live in Oxford. So if you have any more specific questions, feel free to post them here...or send me a private message.

Most of what the previous posters have stated is by and large true, except that the I-275/US 27 interchange isn't the closest place to go shopping - depending on your definition of "shopping". No, there aren't any malls in Oxford. The closest enclosed mall is Northgate Mall on Colerain Avenue (US 27). But the more popular shopping center that most people up here go to is an open-air lifestyle center called Bridgewater Falls, which is at the Bypass 4 exit off of Rt. 129, just east of Hamilton. There is a Wal-Mart Supercenter on College Corner Pike, about a mile and a half outside of town. There is a very nice, remodeled Kroger in town, and several interesting and unique shops Uptown - which is how we refer to the central business district. (It's not "downtown" because it sits on the highest point of elevation within the city of Oxford.) Basically, Uptown caters to Miami students, though you will always find us older folks patronizing the businesses as well. However, there is also a more general shopping district in West Hamilton which is closer than either Northgate or Bridgewater if you want something like office supplies, home decorating/remodeling supplies and general services, as well as a few popular chain restaurants. Most of the restaurants in Oxford are fast food or deli-style cafes, with a couple of sit-down restaurants.

Oxford has some charm about it, more along the lines of what you might find in certain areas of New England - though admittedly it's not Vermont. The streets in the main section of Uptown are paved with cobblestones, which gives it a unique character. It just has a cozy, homey feel to it that makes you forget about wanting to be in a large city. It's very pretty here. The people here are friendly, and down-to-Earth...but also very no-nonsense. They are hard-workers who strive to make, and keep, their town a quality place to live. There's a strong sense of community pride, and many residents have lived here their entire lives. Not far outside of town, you will find a lot of rural farmland, but also some very scenic areas. There are some nice parks within 5 miles of anywhere in town, most notably Hueston Woods State Park. Lots of nature trails in the area.

I wouldn't necessarily say there are "regular" news reports of crime up here, but there have been times when Oxford has made the news...most notably when someone has gotten too drunk and caused a fight, or a co-ed was raped in her dorm. There have been some issues with crowds gathering on the streets outside of bars, challenging local police...but it's not something that happens on a regular basis. I wouldn't consider walking around campus alone after dark, but that doesn't mean you will necessarily be mugged if you do. It's just a matter of common sense, like Sarah Perry said. In general, it's a very safe place to be.....no shootings or abductions, or anything like that. You don't see drug deals taking place or hear of holdups in back alleys, primarily because Oxford really doesn't have many back alleys. If you're a single young woman and you want to go jogging along the streets, or in Oxford Park during the day, it's safe.

The drive to Cincinnati is less than ideal, due to the fact that there isn't a direct limited-access freeway between here and there, except when you get down to I-275 - which is 20 miles away. And then you'd need to head over to I-75 before continuing on to downtown Cincinnati. The other routes that get you down toward Cincinnati are hilly and cut through suburban areas. It's not fun making a drive down there during rain or snow. I personally wish they'd build a bypass around town so we don't get so much truck traffic - not that it causes any problems, but it would simply make it easier on the truckers if they didn't have to cut through Uptown on their way to Indiana.

There's a bit of money here, though a few blocks are total eyesores. But wherever you go, you won't get the feeling that you're in a poor part of town. Oxford is a stable, middle-class small town, primarily because of the university. There is a local hospital that is getting ready to add a considerably large addition soon. And we are growing a bit. So while I can't relate to what a 24-year old college student wants these days, I think you'd probably like it here.

[buckeyenative01]

Just watch out for the speed traps along 27 on the commute to/from Cincinnati.