The Town FilesStratford, Texas
City in Sherman County · population 1,939 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $129,900
- Household income
- $49,286
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 17 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 39.9
Stratford is a city of 1,939 people in Sherman County, Texas. The median home is worth $129,900, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more of a college town than 99% of Texas towns, better for families than 92% of Texas towns, hipper than 86% of Texas towns.
How Stratford ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Stratford is worth $129,900, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $49,286, which is more affordable than 63% of Texas towns. 79.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Stratford | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $129,900 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | — | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $49,286 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 79.2% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.6% | — |
Who lives in Stratford
| People | Stratford | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.9 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.2% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.9% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.1% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 3.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 17.7% | — |
| Work from home | 5.7% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 17.2 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.0% | 89.2% |
Weather in Stratford
July highs average 93.3°F and January lows 21.1°F. About 17.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 17.4 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 71 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 137 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stratford since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. The strongest, an F1, struck on May 15, 2003 about 6.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 30, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 73 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 20, 1958.
Severe weather in Sherman County since 1996
Sherman County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458: Covid-19 |
| March 14, 2008 | Fire | EM-3284: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Sherman County
Sherman County had 1,132 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,301 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Stratford itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Stratford
3 public schools with 534 students, about 10.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARY ALLEN EL | PK-4 | 227 | 13.4 |
| STRATFORD H S | 9-12 | 165 | 7.5 |
| STRATFORD J H | 5-8 | 142 | 10.1 |
Towns near Stratford
- Texhoma, OK19.8 mi · 856 people · home $130,200
- Cactus, TX20.6 mi · 3,057 people · home $82,200
- Sunray, TX26.1 mi · 1,707 people · home $132,000
Stratford questions
Is Stratford, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Stratford scores better for retirees than 80% of Texas towns and quieter than 55%. 22.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.9).
How much does a house cost in Stratford?
The median owner-occupied home in Stratford is valued at $129,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,286, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Stratford?
July highs average 93.3°F and January lows 21.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.1 inches of precipitation a year and 17.4 inches of snow.
Does Stratford get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stratford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on May 15, 2003. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- 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)