Oxford, Massachusetts
Oxford | ||
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FIPS code 25-51825 | | |
GNIS feature ID | 0618379 | |
Website | www.oxfordma.us |
Oxford is a town in
History
Oxford was first settled in 1687 and was officially incorporated in 1713. It was the birthplace of
The first
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 27.5 square miles (71 km2), of which 26.6 square miles (69 km2) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km2), or 3.20%, is water. The town sits in a valley, and much of its area lies in the flood plain of the French River, which runs through the town. A substantial parcel north and west of Oxford Center is held, for flood control purposes, by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The land, known as Greenbriar, also serves as a nature preserve.
It also serves to cut off east–west travel on former roads through the site. Route 20 runs east–west through North Oxford, running north–south
The town used to include much of what is now Webster, on its southern border, but Oxford and neighboring Dudley both gave portions of their land to allow the creation of that town. Other towns bordering Oxford are Charlton to the west, Leicester and Auburn to the north, Millbury and Sutton to the east, and Douglas to the southeast.
Demographics
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1790 | 1,000 | — |
1800 | 1,273 | +27.3% |
1810 | 1,277 | +0.3% |
1820 | 1,562 | +22.3% |
1830 | 2,034 | +30.2% |
1840 | 1,742 | −14.4% |
1850 | 2,380 | +36.6% |
1860 | 3,034 | +27.5% |
1870 | 2,713 | −10.6% |
1880 | 2,604 | −4.0% |
1890 | 2,616 | +0.5% |
1900 | 2,677 | +2.3% |
1910 | 3,361 | +25.6% |
1920 | 3,820 | +13.7% |
1930 | 3,943 | +3.2% |
1940 | 4,623 | +17.2% |
1950 | 5,851 | +26.6% |
1960 | 9,282 | +58.6% |
1970 | 10,345 | +11.5% |
1980 | 11,680 | +12.9% |
1990 | 12,588 | +7.8% |
2000 | 13,352 | +6.1% |
2010 | 13,709 | +2.7% |
2020 | 13,347 | −2.6% |
2022* | 13,287 | −0.4% |
* = population estimate Source: United States census records and Population Estimates Program data.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] |
As of the
There were 5,058 households, out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. Of all households, 23.6% were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.1% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $52,233, and the median income for a family was $58,973. Males had a median income of $41,727 versus $30,828 for females. The
The population was 13,709 at the
For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Oxford, please see the article Oxford (CDP), Massachusetts.
Local government
State government | |
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State Representative(s): | Peter Durant (R), Paul K. Frost (R) |
State Senator(s): | Ryan Fattman (R) |
Governor's Councilor(s): | Paul DePalo (D) |
Federal government | |
U.S. Representative(s): | 2nd District ),
|
U.S. Senators :
|
Elizabeth Warren (D), Ed Markey (D) |
Library
The Oxford public library was established in 1869.[15][16] In fiscal year 2008, the town of Oxford spent 1.5% ($468,609) of its budget on its public library—approximately $34 per person, per year ($41.64 adjusted for inflation to 2021).[17]
Education
Oxford has a public school system with two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.
The first elementary school is the Alfred M. Chaffee School, which offers kindergarten- 2nd grade education. The second elementary school is the Clara Barton School, which offers 3rd–5th grade education. The Oxford Middle School offers 6th–8th grade courses, and Oxford High School offers grades 9th –12th with preschool in the basement.
Oxford High School has a number of sports activities throughout the fall, winter and spring seasons. Some of these sports include, field hockey, cross country, football, soccer, indoor track, basketball, outdoor track, baseball, softball, golf, and ultimate frisbee.
Points of interest
- Bartlett's Bridge
- Barton Center for Diabetes Education, site of the Clara Barton Camp for Diabetic Children and the Clara Barton National Historic Site
- Hodges Village Dam
- Hudson House
- Huguenot Fort
- Oxford High School
- Oxford Public Library
- North Oxford Mills
Notable people
- Agnes Ballard, educator, early woman architect and first woman elected to office in Florida was born here
- Clara Barton, teacher, nurse, humanitarian best remembered for organizing American Red Cross during the Civil War
- Carla Berube, college basketball player and coach
- Nelson H. Davis, brigadier general during American Civil War
- Tom Herrion, college basketball coach
- Elliott P. Joslin, doctor, pioneer in diabetes research
- Ebenezer Learned, general in American Revolution
- Tony Reno, college football coach
- Matthew Sands, educator
- Aron Stevens, wrestler and actor
- Elvira Stone, postmaster and genealogist
See also
- Oxford, Alabama
- Oxford, England
- Oxford, Maine
- Oxford, Connecticut
References
- ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Oxford town, Worcester County, Massachusetts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
- ^ "Historical Oxford, settled by the French Huguenots", p.2 Oxford Historical Commission, 1984
- ^ "Total Population (P1), 2010 Census Summary File 1". American FactFinder, All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts. United States Census Bureau. 2010.
- ^ "Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision - GCT-T1. Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1990 Census of Population, General Population Characteristics: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1990. Table 76: General Characteristics of Persons, Households, and Families: 1990. 1990 CP-1-23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1980 Census of the Population, Number of Inhabitants: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1981. Table 4. Populations of County Subdivisions: 1960 to 1980. PC80-1-A23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1950 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. 1952. Section 6, Pages 21-10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1920 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. Number of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. Pages 21-5 through 21-7. Massachusetts Table 2. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1920, 1910, and 1920. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1890 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1870 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1872. Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1860 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1864. Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1850 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1854. Pages 338 through 393. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ C.B. Tillinghast. The free public libraries of Massachusetts. 1st Report of the Free Public Library Commission of Massachusetts. Boston: Wright & Potter, 1891. Google books
- ^ Oxford Free Public Library. Retrieved 2010-11-10
- ^ July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008; cf. The FY2008 Municipal Pie: What's Your Share? Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Board of Library Commissioners. Boston: 2009. Available: Municipal Pie Reports Archived 2012-01-23 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2010-08-04