Living in Stratford: rents, schools, census and property titles
The 3,452 live property titles in Stratford, Stratford District are almost all freehold (93%), as recorded by LINZ on 30 September 2026. Cross-lease titles number 153 (4.4%), well below the national share of 8.7%.
- Cross-lease titles
- 153
- Share of live titles
- 4.4%
- Live titles in total
- 3,452
- Stratford District share
- 2.3%
- New Zealand share
- 8.7%
- Rank by share in Stratford District
- 1 of 1
- Rank by share in New Zealand
- joint 521 of 644
Stratford at a glance
Where Stratford differs most from suburbs across New Zealand: homes with a heat pump (lower than 92% of NZ suburbs).
Higher or lower is not better or worse. Sources and limits
Start here
What the data tells you
Recorded facts
- Stratford is listed under Stratford District.
- 3,452 live titles are recorded here, including 153 cross-lease titles (4.4%).
- The page includes 2023 Census context for the statistical area that represents this suburb.
- The page includes MBIE new-tenancy rent figures for April–June 2026.
Contextual observations
- Cross-lease titles make up 4.4% of the recorded title mix. That describes the suburb, not any particular home.
- Unit titles account for 0.4% of recorded titles, so title structure can vary within the suburb.
- Coast distance is a suburb-level map measure, not a flood or hazard assessment.
Questions worth investigating
- For any cross-lease property you consider, do the current title, flats plan and lease match what is built today?
- What do the LIM, council property file and a suitable inspection add for the specific address?
No data held for this suburb
- Mapped public-transport context is not available for this suburb.
Title mix in Stratford
| Title type | Live titles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 3,226 | 93.5% |
| Cross lease | 153 | 4.4% |
| Unit title | 13 | 0.4% |
| Leasehold | 40 | 1.2% |
| Other record types | 20 | 0.6% |
| Total | 3,452 | 100% |
Counts are titles, not homes; the register can lag conversions, so check the certificate of title. Sources and limits
How Stratford compares
Nationally, 8.7% of live titles are cross-lease; Stratford is well below the national share (8.7%).
Across Stratford District as a whole, the share is 2.3%; Stratford is about 1.9 times the overall Stratford District share (2.3%).
How cross-leases in Stratford are set up
Separate exclusive-use areas are less common (2% of schemes, against 5% nationally).
Fewer schemes refer to more than one flats plan (16%, against 36% nationally), usually because a plan was redrawn.
Three-flat schemes are more common here (26%, against 12% nationally).
| Scheme structure | Stratford | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-lease schemes (shared sections) | 61 | 87,651 |
| Two-flat schemes | 59.0% | 76.2% |
| Three-flat schemes | 26.2% | 12.2% |
| Four or more flats | 14.8% | 11.4% |
| Typical section size (from the titles, not a survey) | 1,012 m² | 908 m² |
| Typical land per flat | 405 m² | 408 m² |
| Schemes with a garage written into a lease | 41.0% | 28.4% |
| Schemes with a carport in a lease | 14.8% | 13.3% |
| Schemes with a separate exclusive-use area | 1.6% | 4.5% |
| Schemes referring to more than one flats plan (usually redrawn; not by itself a problem) | 16.4% | 35.6% |
| Median year of earliest current title | 1990 | 1988 |
| Two-flat schemes on 700 m² or more | 34 | 54,978 |
Unit titles and leasehold in Stratford
40 titles (1.2%) are leasehold, 1 of them units in a unit-title development, close to the national share (1.2%).
6 of them have a stated term that has ended or has under 10 years to run, which is worth reading closely in the lease.
Stated lease terms, as at 30 September 2026:
| Stated lease term | Titles |
|---|---|
| Stated term has ended | 3 |
| Under 10 years left | 3 |
| 10 to 50 years left | 2 |
| More than 50 years left | 7 |
| Term mentions renewal (including perpetually renewable) | 22 |
| Term not stated or not readable | 3 |
New titles in Stratford since 2020
376 of Stratford's current titles (11%) were first issued since 2020, below Stratford District's suburbs with new-title figures taken together (14%) and slightly below New Zealand (12%).
| Title type | Since 2020 | Since 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 362 | 92 |
| Unit title | 0 | 0 |
| Cross-lease | 0 | 0 |
| Leasehold | 6 | 4 |
| Other | 8 | 2 |
New titles include cross-leases converted to freehold and titles re-issued; they are not a count of new homes. Sources and limits
The lie of the land in Stratford
The typical building in Stratford stands on ground sloping 1.5° (read on an 8 m grid, so short steep banks may be understated).
Nearly all of its 5,537 measured buildings (94%) stand on ground under 5°.
Slope is not a measure of ground stability. Sources and limits
Distance to the coast from Stratford
Stratford is inland: the typical title is 29 km from the sea or harbour edge, and fewer than 1 in 2,000 titles are within 1 km of it.
Measured in a straight line from the centre of each title's land to the coastline on LINZ's 1:50k topographic map, which follows harbours and estuaries as well as the open coast; lakes and rivers are not included. Distance says nothing about beach access, views or exposure to coastal hazards; council hazard maps and the LIM describe those.
Who lives around Stratford: 2023 Census
Stratford's titles fall in 5 census areas (Stats NZ statistical areas). The 3 shown below hold 92% of its titles; their figures are shown side by side and are not added together.
Fewer workers work from home in Stratford Central than across Stratford District: 10.7% against 22.7%.
More households have no car in Stratford Central than across Stratford District: 7.5% against 5.2%.
More residents are 65 or over in Stratford Central than across Stratford District: 22.6% against 18.4%.
| Measure | Stratford Central 38% of titles | Stratford South 27% of titles | Stratford North 27% of titles | Stratford District whole council |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residents | 2,175 | 1,986 | 2,169 | 10,149 |
| Change since 2018 | +5.1% | +11.3% | +6.8% | +7.1% |
| Change since 2013 | +12.9% | +17.2% | +15.9% | +12.9% |
| Median age | 43 | 37.4 | 41 | 40 |
| Households | 912 | 726 | 831 | 3,888 |
| Own or part-own their home (including family trusts) | 74.3% | 70.7% | 78.3% | 74.1% |
| Not owned and not in a family trust (mostly renting) | 26.0% | 29.3% | 21.3% | 25.9% |
| Median household income | $63,300 | $68,300 | $75,500 | $75,500 |
| Median weekly rent, renting households | $320 | $320 | $300 | $300 |
| Dwellings unoccupied on census night | 6.0% | 7.5% | 6.4% | 9.0% |
| Ages | ||||
| Under 15 | 18.3% | 20.8% | 20.1% | 20.7% |
| 15 to 29 | 16.1% | 18.3% | 16.3% | 16.4% |
| 30 to 64 | 43.0% | 42.0% | 40.9% | 44.5% |
| 65 and over | 22.6% | 19.0% | 22.8% | 18.4% |
| Where people came from | ||||
| Born overseas | 13.0% | 11.6% | 11.9% | 11.0% |
| Of those born overseas, arrived in the last 5 years | 19.1% | 12.0% | 10.6% | 14.7% |
| Lived elsewhere in New Zealand 5 years ago (of all residents, including children born since) | 45.0% | 49.2% | 45.3% | 45.3% |
| Lived overseas 5 years ago (of all residents) | 2.4% | 2.3% | 1.7% | 1.9% |
| Moved here in the last year (of all residents) | 16.3% | 19.3% | 14.5% | 15.7% |
| Work and study (people 15 and over) | ||||
| Bachelor degree or higher | 10.8% | 11.5% | 12.0% | 11.8% |
| Employed full-time | 44.7% | 45.0% | 47.1% | 50.1% |
| Unemployed (share of everyone 15 and over, not the unemployment rate) | 2.4% | 3.2% | 2.8% | 2.5% |
| Managers and professionals (of those employed) | 31.3% | 28.6% | 35.0% | 40.1% |
| Median personal income | $33,200 | $31,600 | $37,100 | $36,900 |
| Getting to work (of those employed) | ||||
| Work from home | 10.7% | 10.2% | 11.4% | 22.7% |
| Car, truck or van | 83.3% | 84.9% | 83.8% | 72.5% |
| Bus, train or ferry | 0.6% | 0.7% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Walk or cycle | 4.8% | 3.9% | 4.0% | 3.1% |
| Households and families | ||||
| One-person households | 33.4% | 28.7% | 28.3% | 27.2% |
| Average people per household | 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 2.5 |
| Households with no motor vehicle | 7.5% | 7.1% | 6.7% | 5.2% |
| Crowded households (need one or more extra bedrooms) | 3.7% | 5.5% | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Couples with children (of families) | 34.6% | 41.0% | 39.3% | 41.7% |
| Couples without children | 46.6% | 38.0% | 44.4% | 43.4% |
| One-parent families | 18.8% | 21.1% | 15.8% | 14.8% |
| Homes | ||||
| Separate (stand-alone) houses | 85.9% | 89.7% | 87.8% | 90.2% |
| Average bedrooms | 2.9 | 3 | 3.2 | 3.1 |
| Heated with a heat pump | 52.8% | 50.2% | 53.9% | 45.4% |
| Damp, always or sometimes | 21.2% | 24.4% | 18.6% | 22.4% |
| Mould over A4 size, always or sometimes | 17.1% | 19.1% | 16.1% | 17.4% |
Rents around Stratford
New tenancies in Stratford Central in the April–June 2026 quarter had a median rent of $560 a week (down 1.8% on a year earlier). That is close to the national median ($600).
| April–June 2026 | Stratford Central 38% of titles | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Median weekly rent, new tenancies | $560 | $600 |
| Middle half of rents | $538–$580 | $490–$700 |
| Change in median on a year earlier | −1.8% | +0.2% |
| Bonds lodged in the quarter | 18 | 40,827 |
Schools and hospitals near Stratford
LINZ maps 5 school sites inside Stratford, among them Avon School (Full Primary) and St Joseph's School (Stratford) (Full Primary).
- Avon School (Full Primary)
- St Joseph's School (Stratford) (Full Primary)
- Stratford High School (Secondary (Year 9-15))
- Stratford Primary School (Full Primary)
- Taranaki Diocesan School for Girls (Secondary (Year 9-15))
- Nearest school: Stratford High School (2.0 km)
- Nearest secondary school: Stratford High School (2.0 km)
- Nearest public general hospital: Hawera Hospital (29.6 km)
School enrolment zones in Stratford: a guide
The largest primary-school zone share of Stratford's titles is in Stratford Primary School's home zone (about 65%).
- Stratford Primary School (primary, Years 1–6): about 65% of titles
- Pembroke School (primary, Years 1–8): about 10% of titles
- Midhirst School (primary, Years 1–8): about 10% of titles
About 35% of Stratford's titles are outside every mapped home zone.
A guide only: check the school's own zone map for any address. Zones as at 14 July 2026. Sources and limits
Places of worship near Stratford
OpenStreetMap maps 8 places of worship inside Stratford (8 Christian).
Nearest mapped place of each tradition within 10 km:
- Christian: Saint Stephens Methodist Church, 2.2 km away
Listed as facilities for access; not an indicator of who lives here. Sources and limits
Suburbs like Stratford
The closest match on the measures on this site is Putāruru in South Waikato District, nearest on born overseas, median age, recent movers within NZ. Closeness is arithmetic, not a rating. Sources and limits
| Suburb | Council | Cross-lease share of titles | Median weekly rent, new tenancies | Median age | Closest on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putāruru | South Waikato District | 2.5% | $530 | 43.1 | born overseas, median age, recent movers within NZ |
| Inglewood | New Plymouth District | 3.5% | $555 | 38.5 | unit-title share, damp homes, born overseas |
| Marton | Rangitikei District | 1.8% | $480 | 48.8 | land per flat, household income, home ownership |
| Waipawa | Central Hawke's Bay District | 1.8% | $580 | 41.7 | unit-title share, slope, damp homes |
| Waipukurau | Central Hawke's Bay District | 1.7% | No data | 44.8 | distance to the coast, household income, slope |
Questions
What is the rent in Stratford?
New tenancies in Stratford Central (the rent area for part of Stratford) had a median rent of $560 a week in the April–June 2026 quarter (MBIE bond data, all dwelling types). These are rents agreed for new tenancies, not asking rents. The middle half of those rents ran from $538 to $580.
What schools are in Stratford?
LINZ maps 5 school sites inside Stratford, including Avon School, St Joseph's School (Stratford) and Stratford High School. The nearest secondary school to its centre is Stratford High School (2.0 km in a straight line). Being near a school does not mean being in its zone.