The Town FilesStratford, New York
Town in Fulton County · population 538 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $156,600
- Household income
- $66,518
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 129 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 53.2
Stratford is a town of 538 people in Fulton County, New York. The median home is worth $156,600, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks quieter than 92% of New York towns, better for first-time buyers than 81% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 80% of New York towns.
How Stratford ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Stratford is worth $156,600, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $66,518, which is more affordable than 67% of New York towns. Median rent is $813 a month. 85.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Stratford | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $156,600 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $813 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $66,518 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 85.5% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 49.8% | — |
Who lives in Stratford
| People | Stratford | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.2 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.8% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 16.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.0% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.0% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 9.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 15.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 39.0 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.4% | 91.1% |
Weather in Stratford
July highs average 76.7°F and January lows 7.1°F. About 50.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 128.8 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 179 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stratford since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 23, 1986 about 6.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 23, 1986.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 8 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 29, 2012.
Severe weather in Fulton County since 1996
Fulton County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| December 19, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4472: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 12, 2017 | Snowstorm | DR-4322: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3351: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Fulton County
Fulton County had 16,102 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,770 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Stratford itself the ACS puts it at 1%.
Towns near Stratford
- Caroga, NY6.3 mi · 1,264 people · home $172,300
- Caroga Lake, NY8.3 mi · 548 people · home $124,700
- Oppenheim, NY9.3 mi · 1,751 people · home $112,700
- Salisbury, NY9.6 mi · 1,830 people · home $123,500
- Dolgeville, NY11.1 mi · 2,042 people · home $115,200
- Bleecker, NY11.8 mi · 545 people · home $221,100
- Ephratah, NY12.0 mi · 1,677 people · home $111,500
- Manheim, NY14.2 mi · 3,082 people · home $118,500
Stratford questions
Is Stratford, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Stratford scores better for retirees than 43% of New York towns and quieter than 92%. 20.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.2).
How much does a house cost in Stratford?
The median owner-occupied home in Stratford is valued at $156,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,518, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $813 a month.
What is the weather like in Stratford?
July highs average 76.7°F and January lows 7.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.7 inches of precipitation a year and 128.8 inches of snow.
Does Stratford get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stratford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 23, 1986. The typical New York town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)