Median house price
$550k
+9.9% change
VIC · Wellington Council
Stratford, 3862
Est. population · Jun 2025
3,126
Growth (1 yr)
+1.0%
Growth (5 yr)
+6.5%
Median age
39
Median income
$1,419/wk
Employment rate
57.8%
Median house price · 4th Quarter 2025
$550,000
Languages at home
2%non-English
Most common: Italian, Turkish
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- National parks
- Excellent transport
- Education hub
- Heritage area
Suburb profile
Stratford offers a slower mid-sized suburb life in Wellington Council, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. Families and commuters make up much of the community, with family life visible on every street. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name.
Local parks and tree cover add a welcome outdoor dimension to suburban life. Day-to-day life is more car-oriented here, with buses covering longer trips across the wider area. Homes are priced below the dearer neighbouring markets, though not at the bottom of the scale.
Local crime has been trending higher of late. A trickle of new development is refreshing selected pockets without changing the overall feel.
The desirability picture is around average, weighed down by softer local dining and lifestyle amenities, plus growth momentum relative to similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Stratford snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
$450/wk
Population (ERP)
3,126
+1.0% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
8.0%
Census unoccupied dwellings
Livability profile
Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Desirability
#71
among Country & regional · Emerging
Safety
53rd
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
69th
percentile in VIC
Advantage (IRSAD)
4/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
45th
percentile among schools with ICSEA
Population growth
Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years
Housing mix
Dwelling types from the 2021 Census
Risks & flags
Quick scan — open a section below for full context
Living here
Desirability
Ranks & confidence
- Desirability score
- 40.6/100 — Average
- National rank
- 3649th in Australia
- State rank
- 727th in VIC
- Peer rank
- #71 among Country & regional · Emerging suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #280 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 100%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Housing
- All types (Sep 2025 (council median))
- $450
- Median house price (4th Quarter 2025)
- $550,000
- Median price change
- +9.9%
Median weekly rent from Victorian government rent reports. Council median fallback may apply where suburb rent is unavailable.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- DFFH rent report and Valuer-General property sales report — Department of Families, Fairness and Housing / Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria) · 4th Quarter 2025; Sep 2025 (council median) · Updated · Quarterly releases; council median rent fallback where suburb rent unavailable
Population
Estimated resident population
3,126(June 2025)
+1.0% annual · +6.5% over 5 years · 69th percentile in VIC
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +1.0%
- 5-year growth
- +6.5%
- Change in 1 year
- +32
- Change in 5 years
- +191
- Growth rank in VIC
- 69th percentile
ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.
Methodology
Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.
The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~3,300), extrapolated at +1.0% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 2,980
- Median age
- 39
- Median household income / week
- $1,419
- Dwelling vacancy
- 8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 100 of 1,249
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,308
- Employment rate
- 57.8%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 1,109 / 0 / 29 (+ 10 other)
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
- Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries
Community & culture
No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Offence counts & rates
- Total offences (2026)
- 177
- Against the person
- 39
- Against property
- 70
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 56.6
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 76 residents
- State safety percentile
- 53th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +18.8%
Most common offence types
- B21 Criminal Damage10
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle19
- E21 Breach Family Violence Order32
- E22 Breach Intervention Order10
- Other Crimes Against The Person11
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · 2025 · Updated
Family & Lifestyle
Schools & preschools
- Schools within 2 km
- 2
- Median school ICSEA (2 schools)
- 996.5
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 45th
School list
- St Patrick's SchoolPrimary · Catholic · ICSEA 1015 · 53th percentile · LBOTE 2% · 164 students · Top SEA quarter 9%View on My School →
- Stratford Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 978 · 37th percentile · LBOTE 11% · 92 students · Top SEA quarter 9%View on My School →
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
Childcare
1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap
- kindergartenkindergarten
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
Childcare centre count
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · current · Updated
Public transport
9 public transport stops in this suburb
- Memorial Park/Princes Hwy
- Post Office/Hobson St
- Stratford Railway Station
- Stratford Station
- Stratford Station/Dixon St
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · current · Updated
Amenities
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Parks & reserves
7 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Knob ReservePark
- Redbank Streamside ReserveNature reserve
- Stratford Historical MuseumPark
- Stratford I12 Bushland ReserveNature reserve
- Stratford I13 Bushland ReserveNature reserve
- Swan ParkPark
- Unnamed P0303 Private Nature ReserveNature reserve
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 8
- Parks (OSM)
- 6
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics in suburb
- 1
- Nearest hospital
- Mafra District Hospital (11.1 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
- Emergency department in suburb
- Not in suburb
- Stratford Healthcare PharmacyPharmacy
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 93
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 29.8
Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.
For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.
Data sources & freshness
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
Weather
Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.
Summer (Dec–Feb)
- Usual max / min
- 25° / 13°
- Rainfall
- 149 mm · ~19 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 21° / 9°
- Rainfall
- 153 mm · ~19 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 15° / 4°
- Rainfall
- 133 mm · ~17 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 20° / 8°
- Rainfall
- 177 mm · ~22 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
Planning & development
Development applications from PPARS statewide register (lodged 2020–2022). Free public PPARS MapServer — applications through ~2022 (service last updated Feb 2024).
10 planning-related records
2021· 3 proposals
September 2021
- Buildings and works associated with construction of storage units. Buildings and works associated with construction of storage units.9 PRINCES HIGHWAY STRATFORD 3862Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
April 2021
- Use of the land for an arts and crafts centre. Use of the land for an arts and crafts centre.332 REDBANK ROAD STRATFORD 3862Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
March 2021
- Use & development of the land for a warehouse. Use & development of the land for a warehouse.1 Tyers StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 7 proposals
November 2020
- B&W/extension to an existing restricted recreation facility. Buildings and works for extension to an existing restricted recreation facility.21 Princes HighwayPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
October 2020
- B&W/extension to an existing restricted recreation facility. Buildings and works for an extension to an existing restricted recreation facility (gym).21 Princes HighwayPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
September 2020
- Subdivision of the land into 6 lots & the creation of common property. Subdivision of the land into 6 lots and the creation of common property.28 Redbank RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Use and development of the land for dog keeping. Use and development of the land for dog keeping.222 Balgonie LaneWithdrawn
August 2020
- Use and development of the land for a warehouse. Use and development of the land for a warehouse.1 Tyers StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
July 2020
- Subdivision of the land into seven lots. Subdivision of the land into seven (7) lots.26 Hobson StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
April 2020
- Buildings & works associated with construction of a shed. Buildings & works associated with construction of a shed.127 Newton DrivePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- PPARS planning permit activity (statewide) — Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria) · 2020–2022 · Updated · MapServer through FY 2022–23; newer data needs council/API access
Heritage
1 heritage place
- AVON RIVER RAIL BRIDGENH2389
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · current · Updated
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Victorian Bushfire Management Overlay mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated
Politics & representation
- Federal electorate
- Gippsland
- Member of Parliament
- Darren CHESTER (The Nationals)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 118,075
- Turnout (2025)
- 92.0%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- +1.2 pp toward Labor
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 69.4%Labor 30.6%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 18.1 km away).
Coalition 74.3%Labor 25.7%
4.9 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +2.8 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- StratfordLabor 26.7% · Coalition 73.3% TPP (2025)3.5 km away
- BriagolongLabor 34.4% · Coalition 65.6% TPP (2025)12.1 km away
- MaffraLabor 23.9% · Coalition 76.1% TPP (2025)12.2 km away
- BundalaguahLabor 15.2% · Coalition 84.8% TPP (2025)12.4 km away
- BoisdaleLabor 19.0% · Coalition 81.0% TPP (2025)13.1 km away
Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.
Data sources & freshness
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 4/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 5/10
ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?
IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.
IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.
A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
Compare with
Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.
More in Wellington Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Victoria.