City · Iowa
Stratford, Iowa
Stratford, city, mostly in Hamilton County (96.9% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Webster County, Iowa. Stratford had 698 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 707 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 735 (±128). GEOID 1975810.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
698
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 707 · ACS 2020-2024: 735 ±128
Median household income
$47,875
±$13,665 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$89,300
±$17,797 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$588
±$176 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Stratford and what county is it in?
Stratford is a city mostly in Hamilton County (96.9% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Webster County, Iowa. It covers 1.8 square miles of land, 390 residents per square mile in 2020.
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hamilton County | 685 | 96.9% |
| Webster County | 22 | 3.1% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Stratford, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 698 people lived in Stratford on July 1, 2025, down 1.4% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 707 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 735 (±128).
| Measure | Stratford | Hamilton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 735 ±128 | 14,886 | no clear change |
| Households | 365 ±72 | 6,434 | +104 |
| Average household size | 1.88 ±0.21 | 2.28 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 404 ±78 | 7,040 | no clear change |
Stratford's population since 2000
From 746 in 2000 to 698 in 2025: down 6.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Stratford as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Stratford?
The median resident of Stratford is 60.8 years old; 18.1% are under 18 and 42.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 86.8%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 6.7%.
| Measure | Stratford | Hamilton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 60.8 ±3.6 | 41.7 | +10.4 |
| Under 18 years | 18.1% ±5.0 pts | 23.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 42.0% ±7.2 pts | 21.2% | – |
| Male | 43.5% ±4.9 pts | 51.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.0% ±1.7 pts | 10.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 86.8% ±5.3 pts | 83.8% | −12.2 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 6.7% ±3.9 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±1.4 pts | 2.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±1.3 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 3.0% ±2.7 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.0% ±1.8 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.6% ±1.4 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.0% ±4.3 pts | 7.4% | – |
| With a disability | 14.6% ±4.9 pts | 13.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.9% ±1.5 pts | 5.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.5% ±3.1 pts | 94.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 10.3% ±5.2 pts | 22.8% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.9% ±2.2 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.0% ±4.1 pts | 92.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 1.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Stratford earn?
Half of Stratford's 365 households earn less than $47,875 a year (±$13,665), against $72,432 in Hamilton County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $57,176 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 9.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Stratford | Hamilton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $47,875 ±$13,665 | $72,432 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $59,465 ±$7,996 | $92,073 | – |
| Per capita income | $29,868 ±$3,514 | $40,191 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 9.0% ±4.3 pts | 7.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0% ±17.1 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.8% ±5.5 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 81.6% ±11.0 pts | 90.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 80.8% ±10.1 pts | 84.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Stratford?
Owners occupy 82.7% of Stratford's occupied homes and renters 17.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $89,300 by its owner (±$17,797). The median renter pays $588 a month including utilities, and 52.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Stratford | Hamilton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $89,300 ±$17,797 | $156,400 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $588 ±$176 | $877 | −$330 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 52.8% ±19.5 pts | 23.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,054 ±$170 | $1,345 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 82.7% ±6.1 pts | 73.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 17.3% ±6.1 pts | 26.6% | – |
| Housing units | 404 ±78 | 7,040 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±7.9 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.7% ±13.3 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 76.7% ±9.3 pts | 80.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 10.4% ±9.2 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.7% ±1.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.0% ±1.5 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 37.6% ±9.2 pts | 41.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.1% ±1.4 pts | 4.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Stratford building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Stratford in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 4.2 across Iowa.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Stratford work and get to work?
83.4% of Stratford's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 25.8 minutes.
| Measure | Stratford | Hamilton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 46.7% ±7.3 pts | 65.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.7% ±2.0 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 83.4% ±7.1 pts | 84.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.9% ±4.5 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±8.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 6.0% ±5.0 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.6% ±4.2 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.8 min ±3.1 | 21.4 min | −9.4 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Stratford?
No census tract lies mostly in Stratford; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9605Hamilton County | 1,989 | $61,726 |
| Tract 104Webster County | 2,670 | $71,563 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Stratford) · Census block assignment files
How does Stratford compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Stratford is the 11,854th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 372nd-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Stratford is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 372nd | 939 |
Stratford's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Stratford with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Stratford?
23 of the 57 figures for Stratford on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Stratford are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Stratford.