Pool swim season in Oxford, MS
When can you swim in an outdoor pool in Oxford, MS?
An unheated pool in Oxford reaches 78°F in Jul to Sep, about 3 months a year. The air allows up to 7 swimmable months with a heater (Apr to Oct).
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Heater options for a Oxford pool, side by side
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 3 | Jul to Sep | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 6 | May to Oct | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $214 | $764 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $462 | $887 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at MS prices of 15.1¢/kWh electricity and $17/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Oxford
Solar panels + cover: 6 of 7 possible months for about $283 a year all-in, which works out near $94 for each month it adds.
Before you pay for any heater, buy a solar cover: on its own it adds 1 month here for about $50 a year (why a cover comes first). If you get quotes, ask for a heat pump sized to your pool's surface area; here it beats gas all-in (heat pump or gas).
Weather station: University, 1.5 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Oxford month by month: air, sun and pool water
| Month | Air high | Air avg | Sun kWh/m²/day | Water, unheated | Water, covered | Heat pump $ | Gas $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52° | 41° | 2.5 | 42° | 48° | – | – |
| Feb | 57° | 45° | 3.0 | 43° | 49° | – | – |
| Mar | 66° | 54° | 4.1 | 51° | 57° | – | – |
| Apr | 74° | 62° | 5.3 | 60° | 66° | $129 | $272 |
| May | 82° | 70° | 6.0 | 69° | 75° | $41 | $96 |
| Jun | 89° | 78° | 6.5 | 78° | 84° | – | – |
| Jul | 91° | 81° | 6.2 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Aug | 91° | 80° | 5.7 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Sep | 86° | 74° | 5.0 | 79° | 85° | – | – |
| Oct | 76° | 63° | 3.9 | 69° | 75° | $44 | $94 |
| Nov | 64° | 52° | 2.9 | 57° | 63° | – | – |
| Dec | 55° | 44° | 2.2 | 47° | 53° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $129 with a heat pump, $272 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.5 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 16.9 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Oxford compares with nearby cities
Oxford ranks 39 of 41 Mississippi cities for unheated swim months; Olive Branch, Southaven nearby get a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grenada, MS | 42 mi | 3 | 7 | $194 |
| Hernando, MS | 43 mi | 3 | 7 | $229 |
| Olive Branch, MS | 45 mi | 4 | 7 | $216 |
| Tupelo, MS | 46 mi | 3 | 7 | $205 |
| Southaven, MS | 48 mi | 4 | 7 | $167 |
| Collierville, TN | 49 mi | 3 | 7 | $216 |