Located near the southern edge of Massachusetts, Oxford is the birthplace of Red Cross founder Clara Barton and is a history-rich suburb with an active community. Settled in 1687, Oxford still retains many centuries-old buildings. Community events include seasonal parades and townwide competitions, typically held along Oxford’s classic small-town Main Street. That’s also where residents go for a slice of pizza or a plate stacked high with pancakes. Outdoor spaces like Hodges Village Dam welcome locals to enjoy 22 miles of hiking trails or a round on the disc golf course, and kids can join soccer leagues at nearby Ruel Field. An hour away from Hartford, Connecticut; Providence, Rhode Island; and Boston, the neighborhood is also a great commuter spot.
Colonial Revivals and New England trees
Off Oxford's Main Street, patches of New England trees on half-acre lots line suburban streets. Colorful ranches in pale blues and yellows and Colonial Revival manors dot the streetscape. Older homes dating back to between 1840 and 1920 can cost around $120,000 to $300,000 and may need renovations like updated siding. Condominiums in duplexes are around the same price around the edge of town. Larger family homes with three to five bedrooms and updated Colonial Revival estates cost $300,000 to $700,000 and often sit on larger plots, around an acre, on the outskirts of town.
Carl's Oxford Diner is a go-to spot for classic American comfort food.
Oxford residents head to Market Basket to grocery shop.
Whistle Stop Bar and Grill is open for lunch and dinner.
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Seasonal events and active community connection
“We have a lot of weird things we do, now that I think about it,” says Stacey Hamel, a realtor and Oxford resident of over 20 years. These include an annual food drive that features a school bus painted to look like a pig. Locals know that when the “Pink Pig Bus” gets rolled out by the owner of Carl’s Diner, it’s time to pack the pig with food donations. In the fall, a fierce scarecrow decorating contest goes down at Joslin Park, another gathering spot along Main Street. And in December, residents decorate their cars like parade floats for a Holiday Lights parade down Main Street, turning Toyotas into trains and Subarus into snowglobes. The Oxford Community Center provides a fitness center, athletics classes like gymnastics, and a venue for parties and events. The Oxford Free Public Library offers movie nights, reading times for kids, and spaces for hobby groups, such as a knitting club.
Joslin Park hosts a scarecrow decorating contest in the fall.
Oxford residents design scarecrows at Joslin Park every October.
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Take a hike at Hodges Village Dam
Carbuncle Beach is a splash pad right beside the sand beach of Carbuncle Pond. Adults have a small admission fee of $5, but kids can use the colorful splash pad and playground for free. Treasure Land Playground has a couple of brightly colored playsets on a large mulch plot and fields for kids’ soccer and football leagues right next to the community center. Further south on Main Street, Ruel Field is another athletic field with areas for softball, baseball and soccer. Hodges Village Dam is on the western edge of town and provides 22 miles of hiking trails along the French River. Park-goers can hunt and fish at the dam or play disc golf at the Hodges Disc Golf Course.
Nestled in the heart of Massachusetts, Oxford has rows of Cape Cod homes.
Victorian-style homes in Oxford remind residents of the town's historic roots.
Oxford, Massachusetts has shingle-style 19th century homes.
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Carl asks “Who’s Hungry” on Main Street
“There was a rumor, totally unfounded but still there, that the town of Oxford was supposed to be the county seat around the time Massachusetts was founded, and that is why we have this beautiful, wide main street,” says Hamel. Main Street is the best spot to find shopping and dining, and it’s a picturesque atmosphere, with original Colonial, Victorian, and Greek Revival architecture. A popular place on Main Street is Carl’s Diner, with its “Pink Pig” fundraising bus and an owner neighbors know by name – and not just because it’s on the building. Nearby are N and J's Donuts and a few chains like Subway. To the south, Slice of Heaven serves pizza, and to the North, Oxford Casual Dining serves a semi-upscale menu in a relaxed environment, with sirloin and oysters on the menu alongside creme brulee served in a mason jar. Just off Charlton Street, which intersects Main Street, is Market Basket, the main grocer for the neighborhood.
Buffumville Lake Park is a popular destination for camping & biking.
Joslin Park is a public park downtown in Oxford.
Oxford residents go to Buffumville Lake to fish or swim.
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A 25-year-old NJROTC program
A.M Chaffee Elementary School is where kids attend for kindergarten through first-grade, and it earns a B rating from Niche. Clara Barton Elementary School, a second through fifth-grade school, is rated B-minus on Niche and is named after the founder of the Red Cross, whose gravesite is just down the road at North Cemetery. Oxford Middle School, which teaches fifth through seventh grade, is rated C-plus, and holds a themed book fair each semester. Oxford High School, rated C, is just down the road from the middle school and has an NJROTC—or Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps—that has been active and popular since its creation 25 years ago.
An hour from three major cities
Oxford has minimal public transportation, but its location makes it a good commuter spot for those who drive. Around 55 miles from Boston, Hartford, and Providence, Oxford has access to three major airports, one in each city, as well as the Worcester Regional Airport, 12 miles away.
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