Moving to Stratford QLD 4870
What the official numbers say about living in Stratford — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $345 a week, against a median household income of $1,793 a week.
About 70% of homes are owner-occupied and 29% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Stratford grew 8% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (1,109 → 1,198 people).
Around 68% of households are families, averaging 2.4 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea; most spoken languages besides English: German, Mandarin, Japanese.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Stratford sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 9 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (71% of workers), while 21% work from home.
Nearest train station: Freshwater, 2.4 km west.
Nearest bus interchange: Airport Connect Terminal 2, 2.3 km east.
Nearest ferry wharf: Reef Fleet Terminal, 7.2 km south-east.
Nearest airport: Cairns Airport, 2 km east.
The Brisbane CBD is roughly 1396 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 9 schools · 24 cafes & restaurants · 5 supermarkets · 23 parks — see them all on the Stratford profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Freshwater State School 1.8 km · Machans Beach State School 3 km · Freshwater Christian College 3.1 km · Edge Hill State School 3.5 km · Mother of Good Counsel School 3.7 km · Whitfield State School 3.8 km · Peace Lutheran College 4.3 km · St. Andrews Catholic College 4.6 km
Groceries: Jonsson's Farm Market 1 km · IGA 2.1 km · Lyke's Mini Mart 2.1 km · Spar 2.9 km · Friendly Grocer 3 km
Parks and reserves: Jalarra Park 650 m · Savina Park 900 m · Stratford Dolphins FC 900 m · Duplock Park 1.5 km · Bugeja Park 1.5 km · Doug Sheinpflug Park 1.7 km · Le Grande Park 2.2 km · Richmond Park 2.3 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Stratford, most often seen first: Common Myna · Willie Wagtail · Magpie-lark · Masked Lapwing · Peaceful Dove · Rainbow Lorikeet.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Stratford, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stratford here | 1,198 | — | 9/10 | 59% |
| Aeroglen | 405 | — | 7/10 | 48% |
| Freshwater | 2,142 | — | 8/10 | 40% |
| Edge Hill | 4,088 | — | 7/10 | 37% |
| Whitfield | 4,262 | — | 7/10 | 66% |
| Machans Beach | 943 | — | 5/10 | 49% |
| Brinsmead | 5,537 | — | 8/10 | 48% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Cairns — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Leichhardt — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 4870 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Stratford profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $345 a week, and about 29% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 8% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 1,109 people to 1,198. It sits about 1396 km from the Brisbane CBD in a straight line, and Freshwater station is roughly 2.4 km away. Local government is Cairns council, and the federal seat is Leichhardt.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Stratford vs Aeroglen · Stratford vs Freshwater.
Nearby guides: Aeroglen · Freshwater · Edge Hill · Whitfield · Machans Beach · Brinsmead.
Keep an eye on Stratford
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