Anniston–Oxford Metropolitan Area

The Anniston–Oxford metropolitan statistical area is the second-most populated metropolitan area in Northeast Alabama, behind Huntsville. At the 2000 census, it had a population of 112,249. The MSA is anchored by significant jobs at Jacksonville State University, the Northeast Alabama Regional Medical Center, Stringfellow Hospital, the Anniston Army Depot, and the Department of Homeland Security at McClellan. McClellan has transitioned from being a closed military base, to becoming the home of hundreds of residents, new retail growth such as a Lowe's Home Improvement Store, and now more than 3,000 jobs spread out over more than 20 employers. Anniston remains strong in health care, legal, financial services and manufacturing. Oxford, with Interstate 20 running right through it, has developed a number of retail and restaurant establishments including the Oxford Exchange which is anchored by Target.

Jacksonville is an important city in the region due to its student population and education resources at Jacksonville State University. The other cities surrounding Anniston–Oxford are Piedmont, Ohatchee, Hobson City, and Weaver.

Counties

Alabama
* Calhoun

Core cities

* Oxford
* Anniston

Suburbs with more than 5,000 inhabitants

* Jacksonville
* Saks
* Choccolocco
* Piedmont

Suburbs with less than 5,000 inhabitants

* Alexandria
* Hobson City
* Nances Creek
* Ohatchee
* Weaver
* West End-Cobb Town
* White Plains

Education

K-12 education

Public

*Anniston City Schools
* Calhoun County Schools
*Oxford City Schools
*Jacksonville City Schools
*Piedmont City Schools

Private
* The Donoho School
*Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School
*Jacksonville Christian Academy
* Trinity Christian Academy
Faith Christian School

Institutions of higher education

*Jacksonville State University
**Main Jacksonville Campus
**McClellan Campus
*Gadsden State Community College
**Ayers Campus
**McClellan Campus
*Gadsden Business College

Transportation

Main roadways

Interstate 20 runs through the southern portion of the county, connecting Atlanta with Birmingham. It is four-lane controlled access. Construction to widen to six lanes from the Talladega Speedway to Golden Springs Road (also known as the Eastern Bypass) is complete .

*Noble Street runs through downtown, lined with office buildings, specialty shops, and restaurants. A major revitalization effort in 2003 made this street more pedestrian friendly. The old four-lane thoroughfare was gutted, and turn of the 20th century trolley tracks were removed to help resurface the street. The road was converted to two lane traffic with wider sidewalks.
* Quintard Avenue ( Alabama State Route 21) runs parallel two blocks east of Noble Street. It serves as the main north–south traffic corridor for Anniston. The road is six lanes from East P street to 19th Street, and then four lanes. It connects central Oxford to the south and Jacksonville, Gadsden, and the McClellan area of Anniston to the north. Traffic is relatively heavy on this road around downtown and in Oxford as well. Since the early 1990s, bypasses have been planned on both sides of town to alleviate traffic. The North end becomes McClellan Blvd and heads toward Jacksonville via AL 21.
*The Western Bypass ( SR-202) is a completed project of the Alabama Department of Transportation. It runs from I-20 in Oxford (the Coldwater exit) and runs north into the present AL 202. It is five lanes wide (handling Anniston Army Depot traffic). Future plans will extend it on the present County road 109 by widening it to connect with US 431.
*The Veterans Memorial Parkway ( US-431) is a recently completed project of the Alabama Department of Transportation to build a four-lane highway in Calhoun County. This project will alleviate the high traffic congestion present on Alabama State Route 21 while also opening up new commercial and industrial shipping routes within the region as Interstate 20 will be able to connect quickly with US 431 through a limited access fly-over. It is the largest influx of federal money into the local economy since Fort McClellan closed. More than $21 million has been earmarked for this project

''(See Page 124 of Public Law 109-59-Aug. 10, 2005 as enacted by the US Congress).''
*US 78 (known as Hamric Drive in central Oxford) handles a good bit of traffic as well. It runs parallel to Interstate 20 in Oxford.
* Pelham Road (Alabama State Route 21) runs through Jacksonville and is a main road for commercial and retail traffic as well as college students commuting to Jacksonville State University.

Air

The Anniston Metropolitan Airport is a general aviation facility, south of the city proper, in Oxford. Its single asphalt runway is 7,000 feet long and 150 feet wide. Birmingham International Airport in Birmingham is 57 miles west serving commercial flight, as well as Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport , the world's busiest airport as measured by passenger traffic and by aircraft traffic, provides air service between Atlanta many national and international destinations.

Train

Amtrak's Crescent train connects Anniston with the cities of New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Charlotte, Atlanta, Birmingham and New Orleans