Oxford is a beautiful country town on the Inland Scenic Route.
With a strong community, rural lifestyle and easy access to the beauty of the alpine environment, Oxford is an attractive destination for visitors and long-term residents. Oxford offers a great opportunity for those who want to establish a business in a pleasant location where there is plenty of available land.
Oxford provides potential for the tourism industry with a wealth of natural scenery nearby, a fully equipped observatory and easy access to tourism through the Inland Scenic Route. Oxford Forest Conservation Area has been accredited as an International Dark Sky Park which opens up tourism and educational opportunities. The Oxford Dark Sky Trust is working towards extending this area over the Oxford township and ward. With neighbouring districts also exploring dark sky opportunities, Oxford is leading the effort to establish a dark skies network throughout Canterbury and wider, catering to a worldwide stargazing community.
With historic and projected growth, a base of existing businesses, a scenic location relatively close to Christchurch, availability of business land and a proven visitor appeal, Oxford presents opportunities for investors, developers and new businesses.
Urban and rural Oxford (including Oxford town and the Ashley Gorge area) is home to about 3,690 residents; population expected to grow to around 4,170 by 2048.
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Currently largely utilised for day-to-day goods and services by local community.
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Healthcare is the largest employer in the area with 130 employees, closely followed by agriculture. Construction, food services, retail and education are also significant players.
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Oxford has a higher self-sufficiency ratio than the wider district with the majority of Oxford’s labour force working within the district, particularly in Oxford township.
This page is a brief overview of the business demographics and data for Oxford. Last updated in June 2024.