The Best Small Town In Mississippi For Seniors

Mississippi is one of the best states in the country for seniors considering retirement, as its cost of living is roughly 12% below the national average. When you factor in housing costs being 28% lower than the national average across Mississippi, your dollars in retirement stretch even further. One of the best towns for a comprehensive experience in terms of amenities, entertainment, and affordability is Oxford. It has been recognized as the ‘Cultural Mecca of the South,’ a distinction that adds to its appeal for retirees.

Affordable Living for Your Retirement

Because so many seniors start their search for this phase of their life with the all-inclusive feel of assisted living communities, note that Oxford’s options average $4,464 a month, while the national average sits right at $ 5,900. Some facilities here in Oxford are as low as $ 3,200 a month, depending on the amenities you require for comfortable living. Considering that Mississippi does not tax Social Security and that senior exemptions are available for property taxes, money can go much farther.

What stands out about Oxford is the overall value. Despite the general lower costs of living in Mississippi, you get James Beard Award-winning restaurants, nationally recognized bookstores, performing arts venues, and year-round cultural events. Retirees’ dollars stretch further while maintaining a high quality of life.

Healthcare and Recreation

Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi, a 217-bed facility, serves northern Mississippi with an Emergency Department, accredited Heart Care Center, Cancer Care (one of two Commission on Cancer-accredited facilities in north Mississippi), acute rehabilitation, and comprehensive services. Over 100 specialists across 30+ areas practice locally, with Memphis, an hour away, offering additional specialized care.

Recreation is a big part of active senior life in Oxford, and there are many ways to enjoy it. Patricia C. Lamar Park offers walking trails, gardens, and a tranquil lake. The Yokna Sculpture Trail, which is located across multiple sites in Oxford and on the University of Mississippi campus, features 15-20 large-scale sculptures along paths that blend art with nature. For those interested in additional outdoor recreation, seniors can take advantage of three major lakes for water recreation, like boating and fishing, within 50 miles: Sardis, Enid, and Grenada Lake.

Dining and Shopping in Oxford for Seniors

While there is no exact count of eateries and restaurants in Oxford, as this number can fluctuate, there are hundreds of options. From quick-eat options to fine dining, several experiences are possible based on your preferences on any given day, including James Beard award-winning destinations like City Grocery. Current Chef Jon ‘JD’ Davis, who has been named 2025 King of Mississippi Seafood, prepares Creole-inspired dishes such as spicy shrimp and grits or Mississippi pot roast.

Ajax Diner, serving since 1997, specializes in scratch-made Southern comfort food. Famous for chicken and dumplings, fried catfish, and country-fried steak, Ajax has won Best Plate Lunch in Oxford annually since opening and has been named Best Plate Lunch in Mississippi three times. Not only that, but it also offers diner-style fare at affordable prices. This allows seniors to eat hearty meals without breaking the bank.

Shopping can happen in many places throughout the city, but those who really want to dive into the community's history and culture will start at Oxford Square. It features boutiques, galleries, antique shops, and specialty stores surrounding the Lafayette County Courthouse. Everything sits within walking distance with ample parking. A good example of the kind of niche place you can find in this historic corner of Oxford is Square Books. This shop is one of the state’s most beloved independent bookstores and hosts frequent author signings, book clubs, and readings.

Only in Oxford

Oxford is home to multiple one-of-a-kind attractions that make this a popular place to visit, even if people do not choose it as their final stop for settling into retirement. For a dose of culture and history in the same place, check out Rowan Oak, Nobel Prize-winner William Faulkner's Greek Revival home on 29 wooded acres, which preserves his workspace, including the wall where he outlined "A Fable." Open dawn to dusk, the grounds offer literary history and peaceful nature walks.

Ole Miss plays a major role in the city’s cultural and educational life. On the massive campus, locals can find The Gertrude C. Ford Performing Arts Center, a 1,155-seat hall that presents diverse performances from brass bands to comedians. The University Museum houses Southern folk art, Greek and Roman antiquities, and the Blues Archive, one of the world's largest blues recording collections.

Annual festivals are a consistent part of community life in Oxford, and one of the biggest events happens in April, the Double Decker Arts Festival. Each spring, it draws over 100,000 attendees and features 200+ vendors celebrating music, food, and art.

Exploring Nearby Towns

Tupelo

Mississippi has long been known as the home of the blues, and Elvis Presley remains one of the most recognizable figures to emerge from Mississippi’s musical legacy. An hour east, Tupelo preserves Elvis Presley's birthplace; the humble two-room house where the King was born on January 8, 1935, plus extensive memorabilia. The revitalized downtown features the Tupelo Cocktail Trail, Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo for those that want to explore the outdoors and the wildlife that inhabits it, and Tupelo National Battlefield, which commemorates a 1864 Civil War battle.

Holly Springs

Forty miles northwest, Holly Springs offers antebellum architecture and artistic culture. This is where seniors who want to explore art and culture in Mississippi should also visit when they have seen much of what Oxford offers. This exploration can begin at the Kate Freeman Clark Art Gallery, which houses at least 1,000 of her works by the reclusive painter. Because nature can be as beautiful as a painting in Mississippi, do not miss the opportunity to see it in its glory at the Wall Doxey State Park, which provides fishing, hiking, and lake recreation.

Spend Your Golden Years in Oxford

Senior living can be a major consideration for those reaching the golden years of their lives, and you want to make sure that life is as affordable as it is full. Oxford provides a combination of both pillars of retirement, a way to stay immersed in a gentrified community full of art, culture, and entertainment connected to the University of Mississippi, and housing and living costs below the national average. Between the annual events and the fact that ~23% percent of the residents here are over 55, Oxford presents a compelling option.