What You Need to Know When You’re Moving to Oxford

Relocating to Oxford

About the City

Oxford is based in what is known as the Heart of England, an area that is more rural and can be exceptionally beautiful. Oxford itself is a thriving city and, despite being surrounded by countryside and farming industries, it is a center of industry in the technology and car manufacturing communities. Oxford is probably most famous for its university, which alongside Cambridge is one of the most prestigious in the United Kingdom.

There are approximately 154,000 people living within Oxford, and the city has a fairly young demographic because of the large population of students. In fact, Oxford has the youngest median age (29.9) of any place in England. The city is fast-growing, and in the decade from 2001 to 2011 it saw a 12.5% rise in population.

Oxford also has a great tourist trade due to its historic architecture and the popularity of the university, attracting over nine million people per year. Oxford is, in fact, the seventh most visited city in the UK and has the highest level of visitors of the whole of Oxfordshire.

The Climate in Oxford

Much like the rest of the UK, Oxford has a variable climate, with temperatures rising steadily as the year goes on until around August when temperatures begin to drop again. January is generally the coldest month, with an average temperature of 3.6°C. July tends to be the hottest month, with an average temperature of around 16.4°C

There tends to be more sunshine in June than any other month, whilst rainfall is at its highest in October. Snow is not always guaranteed, but if it is going to happen then it will do so in late winter or early spring. Oxford has been known to have unusual weather conditions in the past, including a record 24 inches of snow in the February of 1888.

Finding Accommodation

When looking for accommodation in Oxford, it is generally considered the best idea to start the search online, particularly if you are situated very far away from the city. Looking online will allow you to find out more information about the prices of accommodation, so that you can work out your budget, as well as finding out where the cheaper accommodation is in contrast to the more expensive.

Oxford is considered to be one of the more expensive places to live for rented property, and is in fact the most expensive in England after the London. However, the number of renters in Oxford has grown a large amount over the past decade, meaning that people are finding plenty of reasons to move into the area. The number of homeowners in the city, on the other hand, remains fairly small.

There has been a huge increase in those living in purpose-built apartments over the past few years, whilst the number of people living in detached and semi-detached houses, as well as terraced properties, has not risen by any notable amount.

There are a variety of neighborhoods in Oxford, each with their own positive and negative points. The six main areas are Witney, Woodstock, Jericho, Summertown, Cowley Road, and Headington. Witney seems to be a location that offers a good blend of the old and new, with plenty of shops and restaurants to provide places to enjoy time out of the house. Woodstock is a more historic town, is home to the famous Blenheim Palace and has a more relaxed, touristy vibe.

Jericho is one of the most fashionable districts in the city, whilst Summertown has a strongly independent community feel that can really appeal to families. Cowley Road is a bit more ethnically diverse and has a large academic community, both of which join together in a yearly carnival that happens in this neighborhood. Last but not least, Headington is a more serious business area, with the main areas of business dominated by companies in the research, education and medicine industries.