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Suburb profile ·Wellington LGA · VIC ·3862

Stratford VIC 3862

Stratford is in Wellington LGA, VIC, postcode 3862, with population 2,980.

The read

Income-first

The page has enough signal to be useful, but the story is mixed rather than decisive. Use compare mode to pressure-test it against stronger nearby options, then use the calculator if it still makes the shortlist.

$500K
+4.2% YoY
2014 → 2024 · 11 periods
ABS + state medians
$500K
$258K
2014 2024
Why it fits

Gross yield screens at about 4.5%. Entry price sits in the lower-cost range for a first-pass screen. Transport coverage adds a practical access signal.

Read full evidence → Compare suburb Run calculator
Median house
$500K
House median, latest period
↑4.2%YoY D2 vs AU
Median rent
$435/wk
Rent-led investor candidate
D9 vs AU
Gross yield
4.5%
Strong yield band
D10 vs AU
Population
2,980
3K local footprint
D9 vs AU
Schools
2
Matched school context
D8 vs AU
Drive to city
3h 50m
292.8 km to Melbourne CBD · free-flow
Solar
846
49 added 12mo · 6MW

Price history

House, unit and vacant land medians · ABS + state datasets

Rental vacancy rate

Official Homes Victoria (DFFH) figure · Regional Victoria grain
Rental vacancy rate · Regional Victoria
1.9%
Tight (landlord) market

Official vacancy is published at the Regional Victoria level, not per suburb. Shaded band marks a balanced market (2.5–3.5%).

Source: Homes Victoria Rental Report (DFFH) · Latest: Sep 2025

Trend & investor depth

Derived from this suburb's own price, rent and income history
Indicative cashflow-$166/wk (-$8,635/yr) · interest-only @ 6.4%, 80% LVR
Value vs advantage-28% vs suburbs of similar SEIFA advantage (decile 5)

Indicative cashflow is interest-only and excludes tax — use the calculator for a full projection. Turnover divides recorded sales by an estimated household count (population over average household size).

Investment grade

Composite · growth · yield · stability
Cgrade · 56/100 · top 44% of 3,604AU suburbs
Peer distributionstronger than 56% of AU suburbs
WeakerTypicalStronger
Capital growth47
Rental yield55
Stability63
Volatility-10.0ppCycle-2.0

Bar = this suburb's percentile · tick = typical (median) peer · stability drivers signed (+ = steadier)

Relative grade across Australian suburbs, combining qp's capital-growth (multi-year CAGR + cycle timing), rental-yield, and stability (price volatility + cycle + affordability) metrics via a three-pillar property-scoring method with an imbalance penalty. Within-Australia relative, indicative only — not financial advice.

Investor profile

Who invests in Stratford

Owner-occupied 87%Rented 13%
Investor activityATO
Negatively geared3.4%
78 of 207 landlords
Avg rental loss$5,636/yr
Landlords (rental income)207
Reported capital gains152
The read

Owner-occupier stronghold

84% of homes here are owner-occupied and 12% rented, with 3% of landlords negatively geared.

Why it fits

84% owner-occupied — owner-occupiers hold longer and absorb rate shocks, supporting price stability.

ABS Census 2021 tenure (G37), ATO postcode rental statistics, and QuickProperty's investor-exposure index. Owner-occupied = owned outright + with a mortgage.

Mortgage affordability

RBA rate · ABS Census 2021 household income
40%
of household income to service a new loan
9.0 yrs
to save a 20% deposit
Stretched
housing-stress band
Rent vs buyRenting cheaper

New-loan repayment $2,450/mo vs median rent $1,885/mo (+30% · +$130/wk)

If rates move

At 4.2%: $1,956/mo (-494) · at 6.2% (current): $2,450/mo · at 8.2%: $2,991/mo (+541)

Assumes a 20% deposit and a 30-year principal-and-interest loan at the current RBA new owner-occupier variable rate, against median weekly household income (ABS Census 2021). Stress bands follow the 30% / 45%-of-income thresholds used in ANZ-CoreLogic and AIHW reporting. Rent vs buy compares that repayment with the suburb's median advertised rent; it excludes rates, insurance, maintenance and deposit opportunity cost.

Stronger alternatives nearby

Similar-priced suburbs in other council areas that rate higher on a metric.

Higher yield

similar price · cross-LGA

Stronger 5-yr growth

similar price · cross-LGA

More affordable

lower price-to-income

Alternatives are similar-priced suburbs (0.7–1.4x this suburb's median) in other council areas that exceed it on the named metric. Indicative — not financial advice.

Affordability

Buying & renting · ABS Census + state data
Buying
6.8x
median home price as a multiple of annual household income
Moderate
Renting
31%
median weekly rent as a share of gross household income (the 30% rule)
Stretched

Owners with a mortgage repay a median of $1,308/mo, while renters pay about $1,885/mo — renting runs $577/mo higher on these medians.

Median price
$500K
Household income · yr
$74K
Median rent · wk
$435
Owner mortgage · mo
$1,308
Gross yield
4.5%

Household income

ABS Census · ATO
$74K household · yr-10.4% vs VIC suburb median
Personal
$37K
Family
$92K
Household
$74K
Household income distribution (ABS Census 2021 · weekly)37% could service the median house
Under $300
52
$300-649
136
$650-999
166
$1,000-1,499
202
$1,500-1,999
139
$2,000-2,999
212
$3,000-3,999
89
$4,000+
57

Serviceability line: a household needs about $1,885/wk to hold a new loan on the median house at 30% of income (20% deposit, 30-year P&I, current RBA rate).

At the median asking rent, about 51% of households here would spend more than 30% of income on rent (rent stress line: $1,450/wk income).

Housing stock and tenure

ABS Census 2021
Tenure (1,151 households)1.1% social housing
Owned outright
39%
Owned with mortgage
44%
Rented
12%
Dwelling structure8.0% of dwellings unoccupied on census night
Separate house
96%
Townhouse / semi
0%
Flat / apartment
3%

Getting to work: 83% drive, 0% public transport, 2% walk or cycle, 12% worked from home (2021 Census, taken during COVID-era work-from-home arrangements).

Schools

ACARA 2025
Total2
Avg ICSEA996
Students256
Catholic1
Government1
  • Stratford Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 978
  • St Patrick's SchoolPrimary · Catholic · ICSEA 1015

Livability

OSM · GTFS · schools + hospitals
53/ 100 livability index

Top 47% most liveable of 4,565Australian suburbs.

Peer distributionstronger than 53% of Australian suburbs
WeakerTypicalStronger
Everyday access58
Public transport (8 stops)29
Schools & hospitals56

Bar = this suburb's percentile · tick = typical (median) peer

Suburb-level access-density index (not an address-level walk-time score), normalised within Australian suburbs. Method based on the Urban Liveability Index (Higgs et al. 2019) and Walk Score — three equal-weighted domains combined with an imbalance penalty.

Crime Year ending Mar 2026
5,777
12,346 per 100k
D9 vs AU

Crime

lga
Rate · per 100k12,346
Total incidents5,777· Year ending Mar 2026
  • Assault62145%
  • Sexual Offences27820%
  • Robbery71%
  • Break And Enter48635%

Development screen

Could a secondary dwelling be worth investigating?

Policy review required
small second home screening context High broad constraint context

Policy position

Official source access limited

The official state policy page could not be reliably re-verified automatically in the latest review. Treat this screen as preliminary and confirm the current planning and building requirements with the state source and local council.

Rental use: Review against the official Planning Victoria guidance and local building requirements before use.

Open official policy source

Separate houses

88.8%

Suburb share of occupied private dwellings recorded as separate houses.

8.3 pp above the state median

State median 80.5% · 693 valid suburbs

Residential-zone context

0.0%

Broad suburb sampling only; the property zoning and overlays can differ.

Near the state median

State median 0.0% · 690 valid suburbs

Rental households

12.3%

Demand context only; it does not establish permission to rent a secondary dwelling.

9.9 pp below the state median

State median 22.2% · 693 valid suburbs

Mapped hazards

bushfire high · flood present

The staged suburb layer indicates a broad-area constraint that needs address-level checking. The staged suburb layer indicates a broad-area constraint that needs address-level checking.

Approval pathway

Four checks, each with a different evidence threshold.

This is an investigation sequence, not a guarantee that every step applies or that approval will be granted.

  1. 01 Verify current source

    State policy position

    The current small second home position needs direct confirmation before relying on this screen.

  2. 02 Property dependent

    Planning pathway

    Confirm zoning, lot controls, overlays, setbacks, site coverage and whether planning approval is required.

  3. 03 Design dependent

    Building approval

    Confirm the building approval route after the design, site classifications, services and construction requirements are known.

  4. 04 Check separately

    Intended use

    Confirm long-term rental, short-stay or family-use rules separately from permission to construct the dwelling.

Property due diligence

Turn the suburb screen into a property checklist.

Every check starts unconfirmed. Progress stays in this browser and suburb evidence never clears an address-level requirement.

0evidence acquired
0evidence missing
0reviews due
0consultant questions

Active record: Stratford unnamed property

0/14checked
0issues found

Site controls

Lot area and dimensions

Confirm title dimensions, usable site area and any minimum lot threshold.

Status for Lot area and dimensions
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Setbacks and site coverage

Test setbacks, private open space, landscaping and maximum site coverage against a concept plan.

Status for Setbacks and site coverage
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Slope and ground conditions

Check survey levels, soil classification, retaining needs and likely earthworks.

Status for Slope and ground conditions
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Title and planning

Zoning and overlays

Obtain current property-level zoning, overlays and applicable planning controls.

Status for Zoning and overlays
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Title, easements and covenants

Review the title for easements, covenants, restrictions and common property.

Status for Title, easements and covenants
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Services and access

Sewer and stormwater

Locate assets and connection points, then confirm capacity, clearances and discharge requirements.

Status for Sewer and stormwater
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Power, water and metering

Confirm service routes, upgrade needs and whether separate metering is permitted or practical.

Status for Power, water and metering
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Vehicle access and parking

Test driveway width, gradients, turning, parking and emergency access requirements.

Status for Vehicle access and parking
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Construction constraints

Bushfire exposure

Order an address-level bushfire assessment and determine any BAL construction response.

Status for Bushfire exposure
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Flood and overland flow

Obtain property flood information and check floor levels, flow paths and drainage constraints.

Status for Flood and overland flow
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Wind, corrosion and termite

Confirm site classifications that affect structural design, materials and durability.

Status for Wind, corrosion and termite
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Approval and use

Planning approval pathway

Confirm exemption, complying pathway or permit requirements with the responsible authority.

Status for Planning approval pathway
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Building approval and consultants

Identify required survey, design, engineering, energy, certification and inspection evidence.

Status for Building approval and consultants
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Rental and intended use

Confirm occupation, rental, short-stay and family-use rules plus insurance and tax implications.

Status for Rental and intended use
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Stratford, VIC 3862 · Local browser record

Investigation aid only. Confirm current planning, building, title, service and hazard requirements with qualified professionals and responsible authorities.

Building due diligence

Construction requirements can change by location.

2 broad-area layers staged

The National Construction Code is the baseline. Local hazards and site classifications can change the required structure, materials, fixings, insulation and detailing.

Known here

SUBURB CONTEXT

Bushfire-prone designation

Severe broad-area context

About 98.9% of the suburb is within Victoria's mapped Bushfire Prone Area.

May affect: External construction · Roof and wall systems · Openings, screens and decks

Flood and moisture context

Low broad-area context

About 6.6% of the suburb intersects VIC LSIO.

May affect: Floor levels and drainage · Water-resistant assemblies · Material durability

Check the property

ADDRESS + DESIGN

NCC climate zone

Check the property

Confirm the NCC climate zone used for the building design and energy provisions.

May affect: Insulation and glazing · Condensation control · Roof-space ventilation

Wind class and BAL

Site assessment required

A suburb layer cannot determine the site wind classification or Bushfire Attack Level.

May affect: Structure and tie-downs · Cladding and fixings · Openings and bushfire detailing

Corrosion and termite exposure

Check the property

Confirm marine or corrosive exposure and the applicable termite-management requirements.

May affect: Fasteners and connectors · Roofing and coatings · Termite management

This screen identifies investigation triggers, not building quality or property compliance. Confirm the address, design and current jurisdiction rules with the council, building surveyor or certifier, designer and engineer.

NCC 2022 Housing Provisions: how to use · NCC 2022 Volume Two and Housing Provisions

Bushfire-prone area

Vicmap Bushfire Prone Area
Partly designated ~98.9%
~98.9% of the suburb is within Victoria's designated Bushfire Prone Area

Share of the suburb within Victoria's gazetted Bushfire Prone Area (Vicmap, CC BY), point-sampled across the suburb. A Bushfire Prone Area is a planning designation that triggers the building code's bushfire construction provisions — it is not a graduated hazard rating or a property-level Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) assessment. Obtain a BAL assessment (AS 3959) for an individual property.

Flood exposure

VIC LSIO
Low exposure ~6.6%
~6.6% of the suburb sits within a mapped flood-hazard area

Estimated exposure to the official flood-hazard layer (VIC LSIO), point-sampled across the suburb. This shows how much of the suburb sits within mapped flood-planning areas — it is not a property-level flood certificate. Areas without a completed flood study may be unmapped. Check the local council's flood maps for an individual property.

Planning zones

Vicmap Planning
Dominant zone Farming (FZ)
Rural / Green wedge 91% Residential 7% Public / Open space 2%
Residential density: Low

Land-use mix estimated by point-sampling the suburb against Vicmap Planning scheme-zone polygons (CC BY 4.0). This is a suburb-level snapshot of planning zones, not a parcel-level zoning certificate or development advice. Check the relevant planning scheme for an individual property.

Growth outlook · Wellington LGA

Victoria in Future 2023 · projection 2021–2036
Dwellings
+15.9%
23,550 → 27,290
+3,740 dwellings
Population
+12.3%
45,450 → 51,040
Households
+19%
19,130 → 22,760

LGA-level official projection (Victoria in Future 2023, DTP). Indicative of the wider council area, not a suburb-level forecast.

Population outlook

ABS projection · Maffra SA2 area · 2022 base
14,930 people · 202217,416 by 2032 (+16.7%)

ABS population projection (2022 base) for the Maffra SA2 statistical area — the finest official projection grain available; suburb-level projections do not exist.

Full data detail Census · ATO · ABS · state datasets
Stratford VIC — Property Data and Demographics

Located in Victoria within the Wellington local government area, Stratford is a smaller residential area (postcode 3862). With a population of 2,980, the suburb has an established demographic with a median age of 39. Households earn a median income of $74K per year, with an average household size of 2.5 people. Recent annual estimates show population movement staying broadly stable across the broader catchment, with population growth running at +0.6% year-on-year at the LGA level. VIC employment has moved +0.8% year-on-year in the official ABS Labour Force trend series, which provides the broader jobs backdrop for this suburb. VIC also had 41 Commonwealth-backed major projects under construction, 18 underway, and 24 in planning as at 2025-09-01, which is useful as a broader delivery backdrop rather than a suburb-specific project count. The most common occupations are technicians & trades, community & personal service, professionals. Employment in the area leans toward healthcare and construction. The top ancestries reported are Australian, English, Scottish.

The median house price in Stratford is $500,000, having risen by 4.2% over the past year. The current median weekly rent is $435. This gives a gross rental yield of approximately 4.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment is $1,308.

Stratford is served by 2 schools, including 2 primary. The average ICSEA score is 996, which is around the national average of 1,000. Public transport access includes 2 rail stations, 6 bus stops. The crime rate in the Wellington LGA is higher than average at 12,346 incidents per 100,000 population.

Looking at the investment signals, Gross rental yield sits at around 4.5% (moderate yield). Property prices sit below the state median ($500K/$850K), which can point to relative value. The price-to-income ratio of 6.8x is considered moderate. House prices have moved +4.2% year-on-year. Population growth of +0.6% year-on-year points to stable demand fundamentals. Building approvals have changed +0% year-on-year, indicating steady development activity.

Market & money
Investment signalsHeuristics
Rental Yield4.5%· Moderate Yield
Price vs State$500K/$850K↑ Below Median
Affordability6.8x· Moderate
Price Momentum+4.2%· Stable
Pop. Growth+0.6%· Stable
Development+0%· Steady
InvestmentVIC
Mortgage · mth$1,308
Rent · wk(Census)$290
Market rent · wk(Sep 2025)$435
Gross yield3.0%
Price / income6.8x
Sales vol (latest Q)(2025-Q4)23
Population growth · Wellington LGAABS ERP
Population (2025)46,551
5-year growth+0.6% CAGR
YoY change+0.6%
20012025
Development · Wellington LGAABS Approvals
Approvals (2026)184
Houses 88%Units 13%
YoY change+0%
Employment · Wellington LGASALM
Unemployment (Dec-25)4.1%
YoY change-0.7pp
Dec-10Dec-25
Property investors · Postcode 3862ATO
Negatively geared3.4%
78 of filers
Avg rental loss$5,636/yr
Landlords (rental income)207
Reported capital gains152
People & prosperity
DemographicsCensus 21
Population2,980
Median age39
Household size2.5
HH income · wk$1,419
Personal income · wk$719
Persons / bedroom0.7
SEIFA indexABS
Advantage (IRSAD)5/10
Education (IEO)3/10
Economic (IER)6/10
Disadvantage (IRSD)4/10
Income momentumCensus 16→21
HH income · wk$1,208 → $1,419
Change+17.5%
vs VIC median-6 pp
Median rent+20.8%
stablevs VIC 2016–21
Top occupationsCensus
Technicians & Trades259Community & Personal Service226Professionals211Managers157Labourers155
Top industriesCensus
Healthcare212Construction183Public Admin & Safety135Education120Retail Trade116
Top ancestryCensus
Australian1,423English1,314Scottish342Irish341German113
Area & amenity
Local amenitiesOSM
Supermarkets1
Pharmacies1
GP / clinics0
Fuel stations1
Cafes & dining4
iga1
TransportGTFS
Rail stations2
Bus stops6
Stratford Station
Stratford Station/Dixon St
Hospitals · Wellington LGAAIHW
Public3
Private1
Central Gippsland Health Service [Maffra]public
Central Gippsland Health Service [Sale]public
Yarram & District Health Servicepublic
Heyfield Hospitalprivate
Aged care · Wellington LGAGEN
Facilities10
Residential places482
Wattleglen100 places
Ashleigh House Hostel80 places
Sale Gardens Care Community65 places
Laurina Lodge Hostel51 places
Wilson Lodge50 places
Stretton Park Hostel46 places
+4 more in Wellington LGA
Childcare · Wellington LGAACECQA
Services38
Approved places2,024
Exceeding NQS8
Gumnuts Early Learning Centre162 places
Yarram Early Learning Centre141 places
Little Saints Early Learning Centre - Sale123 places
Journey Early Learning Centre - Sale110 places
Little Saints Early Learning Centre - Maffra104 places
Vision Early Learning - Rosedale100 places
+32 more in Wellington LGA
Nearby in Wellington LGA12
Yarram$423K · 2,136Maffra$479K · 5,384Rosedale$452K · 1,729Heyfield$305K · 2,050Briagolong$437K · 1,133Sale$470K · 14,296Loch Sport$358K · 1,021Golden Beach$410K · 356Paradise Beach$305K · 172Longford · 1,489Wurruk · 1,177Langsborough · 100
Tax calculatorsaustax.tools
Stamp Duty CalculatorVIC ↗Land Tax CalculatorVIC ↗Capital Gains Tax↗Depreciation Calculator↗Investment Property Tax↗
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Sources & freshness
Strong evidence

Stratford carries enough direct local evidence for a first-pass decision.

QuickProperty mixes release files, Census baselines, and matched local services on this page. Read the status panel before treating every metric as equally fresh.

PRICE POSTURE
Manual release files still matter here.

DataVic-discovered annual suburb price workbooks parsed into suburb prices. Quarterly VIC resources are discovered and cached, but not yet used as current-price anchors.

RENT POSTURE
Rent is using a state market dataset when available.

Use current rent as a starting signal, not as a fixed underwriting truth.

SERVICE POSTURE
Service coverage is matched locally, not inferred nationally.

Schools, transport, and hospitals are useful as presence signals, but they still have different source cadences.

Data status
Property prices
VIC Property Sales Report · 2025-Q4 · DataVic-discovered annual suburb price workbooks parsed into suburb prices. Quarterly VIC resources are discovered and cached, but not yet used as current-price anchors.
medium stability · mixed acquisition · every update · quarterly
Available
Market rent
Homes Victoria · Sep 2025 · State market dataset
medium stability · automated · every update · quarterly
Available
Crime
VIC Crime Statistics Agency · Year ending Mar 2026 · Area-level release dataset
Available
Schools
ACARA 2025 · 2 schools matched
stable source · automated · every update · annual
Available
Hospitals
AIHW · No linked local hospital coverage
medium stability · manual file · snapshot · mixed
Missing
Transport
GTFS feeds · 8 matched stops/stations
medium stability · manual file · snapshot · mixed
Available
Population growth
ABS ERP · 2025 · Annual estimate series
stable source · automated · every update · annual
Available
Building approvals
ABS Building Approvals · 2026 · Annual release series
stable source · automated · every update · monthly
Available
Available means a direct local dataset is linked. Verify means coverage exists but freshness or precision is weaker, such as ABS price fallback, Census rent fallback, or low-confidence hospital matching.

Stratford FAQ

Common questions
  1. What LGA is Stratford in?

    Stratford is in the Wellington Local Government Area, VIC, postcode 3862. Council-level context for Wellington LGA (suburb mix, population, rent, and price coverage) is available on the QuickProperty LGA page.

  2. What is the median house price in Stratford?

    The current median house price in Stratford, VIC is $500K, based on the latest available sales data from state Valuers General offices and ABS Data by Region.

  3. What is the typical weekly rent in Stratford?

    The median weekly rent in Stratford is $435/wk, based on the current market rent dataset. The current rent signal is rent-led investor candidate.

  4. What does the rent signal say about Stratford?

    Rent-led investor candidate: Gross rent yield screens at about 4.5%. Use this as a suburb screening signal before comparing candidates or modelling a purchase; the matching rent ranking can provide broader market context.

  5. Is Stratford a good investment?

    QuickProperty's investment signals for Stratford show: Moderate Yield, Below Median, Moderate. These are computed from price, rent, income, and population data — not an opaque score.

  6. Where does QuickProperty get its data for Stratford?

    Property prices come from state Valuers General offices and ABS Data by Region. Demographics are from ABS Census 2021. School ICSEA scores are from ACARA. Crime statistics are from state police agencies. Transport data is sourced from GTFS feeds.

  7. How often is the Stratford data updated?

    Property prices update quarterly. RBA macro indicators update with each deploy. Demographics are from Census 2021. School ICSEA scores are from ACARA 2025.