The Town FilesStratford, Wisconsin
Village in Marathon County · population 1,581 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $200,700
- Household income
- $66,739
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 45 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 47.5
Stratford is a village of 1,581 people in Marathon County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $200,700, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for families than 95% of Wisconsin towns, better transit than 70% of Wisconsin towns.
How Stratford ranks
Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Stratford is worth $200,700, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $66,739, which is more affordable than 62% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $783 a month. 74.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Stratford | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $200,700 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $783 | $951 |
| Median household income | $66,739 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 74.9% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Stratford
| People | Stratford | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.5 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.5% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.6% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.7% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 10.7% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 19.6 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.9% | 89.1% |
Weather in Stratford
July highs average 80.0°F and January lows 5.9°F. About 33.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 44.8 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 166 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stratford since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 4, 1958 about 7.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 20, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 13, 2026.
Severe weather in Marathon County since 1996
Marathon County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4923: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| October 21, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1944: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Marathon County
Marathon County had 70,626 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,976 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Stratford itself the ACS puts it at 1.3%.
Public schools in Stratford
3 public schools with 759 students, about 13.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stratford Elementary | PK-5 | 322 | 12.9 |
| Stratford High | 9-12 | 265 | 13.9 |
| Stratford Middle | 6-8 | 172 | 14.3 |
Towns near Stratford
- Cleveland, WI3.1 mi · 1,486 people · home $242,200
- Eau Pleine, WI3.3 mi · 769 people · home $265,900
- McMillan, WI5.3 mi · 2,074 people · home $289,700
- Day, WI6.0 mi · 1,063 people · home $235,500
- Frankfort, WI8.1 mi · 635 people · home $231,300
- Wien, WI8.2 mi · 885 people · home $249,200
- Emmet, WI8.7 mi · 905 people · home $235,000
- Brighton, WI8.8 mi · 620 people · home $218,300
Stratford questions
Is Stratford, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Stratford scores better for retirees than 9% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 60%. 17.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.5).
How much does a house cost in Stratford?
The median owner-occupied home in Stratford is valued at $200,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,739, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $783 a month.
What is the weather like in Stratford?
July highs average 80.0°F and January lows 5.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.9 inches of precipitation a year and 44.8 inches of snow.
Does Stratford get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stratford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 4, 1958. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.
- 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)