Stratford
With a median house price of $450,000 and a 96.6% detached house share, Stratford stands as one of East Gippsland's most owner-oriented towns, where 41% of residents own their home outright. Population sits at 2,980 across 153.7 square kilometres, a density of 19.4 people per km2 compared to dense metropolitan suburbs. Household income falls at the 41.7th percentile nationally, meaning most Stratford households earn below the national median, yet mortgage-to-income at 21.3% stays comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The workforce skews toward healthcare and construction rather than knowledge sectors, and university qualifications at 18% run 12.1 points below the national figure.
Population
2,980
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,419/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Median House
$450K
Apr-Jun 2024
The $450,000 median house price as of Apr-Jun 2024 makes Stratford affordable by Victorian standards, sitting well below the state median. Prices peaked at $500,000 in Apr-Jun 2023 and have since pulled back 10%, giving buyers a better entry point than the peak. Over 14 years the median rose from $230,000 to $450,000, a compound annual growth rate of 4.9%. The stock is almost entirely detached houses at 96.6%, with 44.5% of dwellings having 3 bedrooms and 43.1% having 4 or more. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,308, and at 21.3% of income, housing costs remain below stress levels. Outright owners at 41% comfortably outnumber those with a mortgage at 46.2%, a sign of an established, long-held community.
For Buyers
The $450,000 median house price as of Apr-Jun 2024 makes Stratford affordable by Victorian standards, sitting well below the state median. Prices peaked at $500,000 in Apr-Jun 2023 and have since pulled back 10%, giving buyers a better entry point than the peak. Over 14 years the median rose from $230,000 to $450,000, a compound annual growth rate of 4.9%. The stock is almost entirely detached houses at 96.6%, with 44.5% of dwellings having 3 bedrooms and 43.1% having 4 or more. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,308, and at 21.3% of income, housing costs remain below stress levels. Outright owners at 41% comfortably outnumber those with a mortgage at 46.2%, a sign of an established, long-held community.
For Investors
Stratford presents a cautious investment picture. Weekly rent is $290, low compared to metropolitan Victoria, and the vacancy rate is 8%, which indicates meaningful excess supply in the rental pool. The rental market is thin: only 12.9% of dwellings are rented, a figure much lower than most regional towns. Against the $450,000 median, $290 weekly rent implies a gross yield around 3.4%, modest for a regional asset. Development activity is minimal at 2 planning permit applications in the past 12 months, suggesting little near-term supply pressure but also limited demand growth signals. The town's workforce relies on healthcare and construction sectors, providing some employment stability, but net population growth prospects depend on regional migration patterns.
Development Activity
Total DAs
13
Last 12 Months
2
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-50.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Stratford iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Patrick's School
Prep-6 · 164 students
Stratford Primary School
Prep-6 · 92 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 is 1.0 year below the national figure, broadly typical for regional Victoria. English ancestry dominates at 1,314 residents, followed by Scottish (342) and Irish (341), giving the suburb a strongly Anglo-Celtic character. Overseas-born residents make up just 8.3%, which is 13.3 percentage points below the national average, reflecting limited migration inflow to this regional town. University qualifications reach 18%, running 12.1 points below the national figure, consistent with a workforce concentrated in trades and services rather than professional occupations. Average household size is 2.5, matching the national average. Couples with children (1,035 families) outnumber couples without children (803), and 78.6% of residents stayed in the same address over the census period, indicating a stable, settled population.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.6%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
2.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Stratford's housing market is dominated by owned stock: 41% owned outright and 46.2% under mortgage, with renters at just 12.9%, far below state norms. Nearly all homes are separate houses at 96.6%, with apartments at 2.5%. Bedroom sizes skew large: 44.5% of dwellings have 3 bedrooms and 43.1% have 4 or more, making it a family-oriented stock profile. Prices have grown 95.7% from $230,000 in 2013 to $450,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, a 14-year compound rate of 4.9% annually. The peak of $500,000 reached in Apr-Jun 2023 has since corrected 10%, offering buyers more competitive pricing than 12 months earlier. Rent-to-income at 20.4% keeps tenants comfortable, and mortgage-to-income at 21.3% is well below the 30% stress threshold.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,308
Rent / wk
$290
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$719
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.0%
Unoccupied
100
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.3%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.7%
Couples, no children
2,452
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 19.8% of employed residents (180 workers), followed by construction at 13.3% (121), public administration at 12.4% (113), and education at 11.8% (107). Agriculture employs 5.9% (54 workers), reflecting the surrounding Gippsland farming hinterland. By occupation, community and personal services leads with 226 workers, followed closely by professionals (211) and managers (157). The unemployment rate is 4.4%, and the full-time employment rate among those employed is 63%. Participation rate sits at 55.7%, below the national figure, partly because 855 residents are not in the labour force. Household income at the 41.7th percentile nationally reflects the trade and services mix rather than high-paying professional roles.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.0%
Part-time
32.6%
Participation
55.7%
Employed
1,270
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.0%
Postgraduate
2.5%
Born Overseas
8.3%
Dwellings
1,148
Transport to Work
Stratford is car-dependent: 93.7% of residents drive to work, while only 0.3% use public transport, reflecting limited services in a regional town of under 3,000 people. Walkability and cycling account for 1.8% of commutes. The crime rate is 34.9 incidents per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences accounting for 56 of 104 total recorded crimes, and crimes against the person at 29. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on nearby facilities. Volunteering runs at 19.2% of residents, above the typical urban rate, consistent with a community where residents are deeply invested in local life. Housing stress is low: rent-to-income at 20.4% and mortgage-to-income at 21.3% are both below the 30% stress threshold.
Drive
93.7%
Public Transport
0.3%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
104
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
34.9
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Stratford compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stratford a good suburb to live in?
Stratford suits buyers seeking affordable detached housing with low housing stress. Mortgage repayments average $1,308 per month at 21.3% of income, well below the 30% stress level. The town has a stable, long-settled population with 78.6% of residents remaining at the same address. The trade-off is limited public transport, with 93.7% of residents relying on cars, and a vacancy rate of 8% suggesting a soft rental market.
What is the median house price in Stratford?
The median house price is $450,000 as of Apr-Jun 2024, down 10% from the peak of $500,000 in Apr-Jun 2023. Over 14 years prices have risen 95.7% from $230,000 in 2013, a compound annual growth rate of 4.9%. Weekly rent averages $290 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,308.
What schools are in Stratford?
No schools are recorded inside the Stratford suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on education facilities in neighbouring Gippsland towns. About 11.8% of local workers are employed in the education sector, suggesting nearby educational infrastructure that serves the broader region.
Is Stratford safe?
Stratford recorded 104 total crimes in the most recent period, giving a rate of 34.9 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences account for 56 of those incidents, while crimes against the person total 29. As a small regional town of 2,980 people, the absolute number of incidents is low.
Is Stratford good for property investment?
The investment case is moderate. Against the $450,000 median, weekly rent of $290 implies a gross yield of around 3.4%, low for a regional asset. The vacancy rate is 8%, above comfortable levels, and only 12.9% of dwellings are rented, limiting the tenant pool. Prices have grown at 4.9% CAGR over 14 years, providing steady but not exceptional capital growth compared to stronger regional markets.
How is Stratford's population changing?
Stratford's population stands at 2,980 with a stable community profile: 78.6% of residents stayed at the same address over the census period and the turnover rate is 21.4%. The suburb's large 153.7 km2 footprint keeps density low at 19.4 people per km2, well below metropolitan benchmarks. Limited development activity, with just 2 planning applications in 12 months, suggests slow organic growth.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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