Southern Living Names Oxford One of South's Top 10 College Towns for 2026

Oxford landed at No. 10 on Southern Living's "South's Best College Towns 2026" list, with the magazine declaring that "in a state beloved for its small towns, Oxford may be its finest." The recognition came from a reader-voted survey conducted by third-party agency Proof Insights among Southern Living consumers, fielded July 9 to September 9, 2025, drawing more than 17,000 respondents.

Southern Living author Robbie Caponetto framed the list around places that go beyond school spirit: "School pride is just a small part of the equation for these places that effortlessly blend town and gown to create one vibrant community." Oxford earned its spot alongside Athens, Georgia; Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina; Knoxville, Tennessee; Boone, North Carolina; Clemson, South Carolina; Gainesville, Florida; Lexington, Kentucky; and Auburn, Alabama.

The magazine's Oxford write-up zeroed in on the Square as the town's gravitational center. Life off the University of Mississippi campus, Southern Living noted, "revolves heavily around the Square," where Square Books has long anchored a corner with its wide veranda, City Grocery serves upscale Southern comfort food, and the Graduate Hotel's fourth-floor balcony draws a steady cocktail crowd.

The food culture runs deeper than the Square's marquee names. USA TODAY's 10BEST Readers' Choice Awards ranked Oxford No. 4 for Best Small Town Food Scene in 2024 and No. 1 for Best Small College Town that same year, describing the city as "an unassuming culinary haven in the heart of the South." City Grocery and Snackbar both operate under James Beard Award-winning chefs, and 10BEST noted that dining options range from those white-tablecloth kitchens to "soul food and comfort food served at gas stations."

The Southern Living nod adds to a stack of national recognition Oxford has accumulated over the past decade. Travel + Leisure called Ole Miss "one of the most beautiful campuses in the country," pointing specifically to 19th-century Greek Revival architecture including William Faulkner's Rowan Oak. HGTV named Oxford one of the most charming small towns in America, and World Atlas included it among the South's 12 best towns to retire, citing its affordability, arts and dining options, and proximity to outdoor recreation.

For football season, the case practically makes itself. Sports fans tailor-make fall Saturdays around tailgating at The Grove and games at The Pavilion, a rhythm that Travel Yahoo captured succinctly with the Ole Miss rallying cry: "Hotty toddy!"

Oxford sits roughly 90 minutes south of Memphis, close enough for a weekend drive but self-contained enough that the Square, the campus, and the surrounding live oak canopy create their own world. That combination of literary heritage, culinary ambition, and college football culture is precisely what Southern Living's more than 17,000 voters rewarded.