StratfordOntario
36,097 residents make their home in this town in Ontario. The population grew 6% between 2016 and 2021.
Is Stratford a good place to live?
Fewer journeys need a car (A). With a B overall, Stratford is better than 57% of Canadian towns and ranks #403 of 858 in Ontario. Add schools to its strengths (B+). The catch is cost of living (D). Elsewhere it is close to typical: B− for safety, B for health and C+ for hazard risk.
Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread.
What makes Stratford stand out
The 3 things Stratford does most differently from other towns.
How Stratford grades
Each subject compares Stratford with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Stratford.
Rent takes more of local pay in Stratford than in Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 26% of household income
Nearly two thirds of households own their home, lower than both Ontario’s towns (76%) and Canadian towns (74%). Owners put the median home at $500,000, lower than Ontario’s towns ($695,000) yet higher than Canadian towns ($406,000).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Stratford | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent as a share of income | 26% | 22% | 20% |
| Households owning their home | 66% | 76% | 74% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $500,000 | $695,000 | $406,000 |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 20% | 22% | 18% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · Values come from owners at the 2021 census and incomes from 2020, so they predate the later rise in rates. · Rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom published for the Stratford metro area, not by town
Trips to work from Stratford are shorter than from Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 18 min on average
87% of commuters drove, about level with both Ontario’s towns (88%) and Canadian towns (89%).
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Stratford | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 18 min | 29 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 87% | 88% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Counted in May 2021, under pandemic rules: fewer commutes and more people between jobs than in a normal year.
Stratford’s 12 schools with results spread wide in Ontario, 3 in the top two fifths and 3 in the bottom two
Over three years, results rose at 7 of its 12 tested schools. Boards running schools in the area: 2, below both Ontario’s towns (4) and Canadian towns (3). None of them teaches in French, though 10% of schools in Ontario do. Stratford District Secondary School is the biggest, at 1,420 students.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford Public School Second fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | Elementary · Grades JK–6 | 480 | English public |
| Stratford District Secondary School Fourth fifth in OntarioLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Secondary · Grades 9–12 | 1,420 | English public |
| St Aloysius School CatholicResults in the top fifth in OntarioElementary · Grades JK–8 | Elementary · Grades JK–8 | 245 | English Catholic |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Stratford | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 2 | 4 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25
Stratford’s health region reports 45% in very good or excellent health, behind the typical Canadian town’s 52%
The region’s 2022/2024 life expectancy is 81.7, with women at 83.7 and men at 79.7. On average 15% of adults live with arthritis, diabetes or high blood pressure, lower than both Ontario’s towns (17%) and Canadian towns (17%). Measured from where Stratford’s residents live, the nearest hospital is 1.8 km away, under the typical 3.7 km.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Stratford | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very good or excellent health | 45% | 51% | 52% |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 15% | 17% | 17% |
| Smokers | 12% | 10% | 12% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.7 | 82.8 | 81.5 |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities · Not measured by town: health survey and life expectancy (the Huron Perth Health Unit)
Wildfire low, radon 12%: how Stratford stands on hazards
Measured across the Perth District Health Unit: radon tests
Seismic risk in Stratford sits near the middle: $0.022 of expected damage per $1,000 of buildings a year, the typical town $0.030. Flood mapping: none on the national inventory of the town.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Stratford | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 12% | 4% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.022 | $0.043 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
Frost comes to Stratford less often than to 75% of Canadian towns
The most precipitation falls in September: 93 mm in a normal year. The frost-free season runs from 3 May to 16 October, 165 days. In January the thermometer sinks to −9.1°C overnight, about level with Ontario’s towns (−9.1°C) and above Canadian towns (−13.5°C). January is the snowiest month, with 43 cm on average.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Stratford | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| January night low | −9.1°C | −9.1°C | −13.5°C |
| July afternoon high | 26.6°C | 26.7°C | 25.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 139 | 139 | 159 |
| Precipitation a year | 962 mm | 902 mm | 883 mm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (London)
Stratford in November: highs near 8°C, lows near freezing
Expect about 88 mm of rain and snow over November. Snowfall in a normal November: 13 cm. Next comes December, with normal highs of 1°C and lows of −5°C. July brings the warmest days, 27°C; January the coldest nights, −9°C.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 0°C | −8°C | 221 mm |
| Spring | 12°C | 2°C | 245 mm |
| Summer | 26°C | 14°C | 233 mm |
| Autumn | 15°C | 5°C | 263 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (London); the forecast is on the Weather page
Turnout in Stratford reached 44% in 2022, higher than in 82% of Ontario’s municipalities
Federally, Stratford sits in Perth—Wellington, its riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP), held by John Nater of the Conservative Party of Canada.
| Turnout | Stratford | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal election, 2022 | 44% | 31% | 31% |
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
More loans per person served than 95% of Ontario’s town libraries: Stratford Public Library lends 9
Stratford Public Library has one location for the 33,232 people it serves.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Trillium Woods Provincial Park, 36 km away, is the closest provincial park to Stratford
Of the country within 10 km, 1.5% lies in protected areas; the median Canadian town has 2.3%. The nearest national park is more than 100 km away. The 10 km around town hold 5 protected areas.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Stratford | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Protected land within 10 km | 1.5% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Stratford earns a B− for safety
For violence alone the index was 66, below Ontario’s towns (76) and Canadian towns (86) alike. Thefts, break-ins and damage came to 27.8 per 1,000 residents a year, below Ontario’s towns (30.5) and Canadian towns (31.2) alike.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Stratford | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 66 | 76 | 86 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 27.8 | 30.5 | 31.2 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average
Visible minorities make up less of Stratford than of Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 8%
Immigrants make up just over one in ten residents, above Ontario’s towns (7.6%) and Canadian towns (6.4%) alike. First Nations, Métis and Inuit people make up 1.7% of residents, higher than Ontario’s towns (1.6%) yet lower than Canadian towns (2.8%).
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
51.7% of Stratford’s residents are women
17,175 women and 16,060 men at the 2021 census; across Canada, women are 50.9%.
| Stratford | Ontario | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 15% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 62% | 65% | 64% |
| 65+ | 24% | 19% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 17% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 52% | 56% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Stratford keeps its older homes: 38% from before 1961
The lists give 4 historic places here, one in the top tier. Of the dated places, Gallery Stratford is the oldest, from 1883. The record has a Recognized Federal Heritage Building, a heritage railway station and a provincial or municipal listing.
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
| Heritage | Stratford | Ontario | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 38% | 22% | 18% |
Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period
Everything we know about Stratford
Famous people from Stratford
81 notable people were born in Stratford.
Photo credits
Richard Manuel: Heinrich Klaffs, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Shawn Roberts: SHAWNBRIAN, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jared McCann: Jenn G from Seattle, WA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Frederick McCarthy: Sylvia Fox McCarthy Bevan, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Pattie Mallette: LeRoyMobley, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Katherine Bitting: Purdue University, Public domain
Stratford’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stratford | 36,097 | — | B | D | B− | B |
| Perth South | 4,055 | 14 | B+ | C− | B+ | B |
| Perth East | 13,423 | 15 | A− | C− | A | B− |
| St. Marys | 8,203 | 18 | A− | C− | B+ | B |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Stratford
Is Stratford a young town or an old one?
At 46, its median age compares with 45.2 across Canadian towns. Children make up 14% of the population and seniors 24%.
What kind of homes are in Stratford?
Mostly 53% single-detached houses (the median of Canadian towns: 64%), with 6% of homes in buildings of five or more storeys. Households hold 2.2 people on average, and 33% have just one.
Who are the people of Stratford?
Visible minorities are 8% of the population, where the middle of Canadian towns is 15%. Immigrants make up 11%, and Indigenous people 2%.
Has Stratford grown?
It grew from 31,470 people in 2016 to 33,232 in 2021, up 5.6%; the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 36,097.
About Stratford
Town in Ontario
TownRatings counts Stratford as Statistics Canada does, as one municipality in Ontario; the census, crime and housing figures all follow that boundary.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 36,097 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Ontario
- Census division
- Perth
- Census subdivision
- 3531011
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021 · population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155) and 2021 census boundaries · Uniform Crime Reporting Survey 2023–25 (35-10-0026, 35-10-0183 to 35-10-0190) · CMHC rents as published by Statistics Canada (34-10-0133) · grades by TownRatings. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).