Freshwater vs Stratford

Comparing Freshwater and Stratford, QLD: Stratford carries more bushfire risk (65 vs 0); Freshwater has more residents (2,142 vs 1,198); and Freshwater scores higher overall (67 vs 38).

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Freshwater

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (4 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (5 vs 2)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • But Stratford has more separate houses rather than flats (76% vs 57%)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Stratford

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($462,500 vs $545,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Freshwater

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (55/100 vs 32/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Freshwater

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (40/100 vs 71/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (43% vs 24%)
  • is more walkable (55/100 vs 32/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Freshwater and Stratford drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Freshwater Stratford
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Freshwater Stratford
Walkability 55 / 32
Freshwater — Walkability: 55/100 Stratford — Walkability: 32/100
Safety 60 / 29
Freshwater — Safety: 60/100 Stratford — Safety: 29/100
Low fire risk 100 / 35
Freshwater — Low fire risk: 100/100 Stratford — Low fire risk: 35/100

Demographics

Freshwater has more residents (2,142 vs 1,198).

Freshwater Stratford
Population 2,142
+44% vs other
 1,198
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.9% +5.3%
Median age 42 41
Median household income $97,084/yr
+4% vs other
 $93,236/yr
Median weekly rent $350/wk
+1% vs other
 $345/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Freshwater Stratford
0-4 4.8% / 6.4%
Freshwater — 0-4: 4.8% Stratford — 0-4: 6.4%
5-14 15.4% / 12.8%
Freshwater — 5-14: 15.4% Stratford — 5-14: 12.8%
15-19 5.6% / 7.0%
Freshwater — 15-19: 5.6% Stratford — 15-19: 7.0%
20-24 4.2% / 4.7%
Freshwater — 20-24: 4.2% Stratford — 20-24: 4.7%
25-34 10.7% / 9.9%
Freshwater — 25-34: 10.7% Stratford — 25-34: 9.9%
35-44 14.3% / 13.9%
Freshwater — 35-44: 14.3% Stratford — 35-44: 13.9%
45-54 16.9% / 15.6%
Freshwater — 45-54: 16.9% Stratford — 45-54: 15.6%
55-64 13.9% / 14.6%
Freshwater — 55-64: 13.9% Stratford — 55-64: 14.6%
65-74 9.6% / 9.4%
Freshwater — 65-74: 9.6% Stratford — 65-74: 9.4%
75-84 4.0% / 4.8%
Freshwater — 75-84: 4.0% Stratford — 75-84: 4.8%
85+ 0.8% / 0.8%
Freshwater — 85+: 0.8% Stratford — 85+: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Freshwater 41.1% lone person
Freshwater — Lone Person: 41.1% Freshwater — Couple Families: 33.9% Freshwater — One Parent Families: 19.8% Freshwater — Group Household: 4.2% Freshwater — Other Families: 0.9%
Stratford 35.6% lone person
Stratford — Lone Person: 35.6% Stratford — Couple Families: 40.2% Stratford — One Parent Families: 14.1% Stratford — Group Household: 8.9% Stratford — Other Families: 1.1%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Freshwater 29.2% renting
Freshwater — Owned Outright: 31.8% Freshwater — Mortgage: 39.0% Freshwater — Renting: 29.2%
Stratford 29.2% renting
Stratford — Owned Outright: 30.3% Stratford — Mortgage: 40.5% Stratford — Renting: 29.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Freshwater Stratford
Bachelor Degree 18.4% / 16.3%
Freshwater — Bachelor Degree: 18.4% Stratford — Bachelor Degree: 16.3%
Certificate III & IV 15.0% / 15.5%
Freshwater — Certificate III & IV: 15.0% Stratford — Certificate III & IV: 15.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.2% / 9.1%
Freshwater — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2% Stratford — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1%
Postgraduate Degree 6.1% / 7.3%
Freshwater — Postgraduate Degree: 6.1% Stratford — Postgraduate Degree: 7.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.4% / 3.7%
Freshwater — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.4% Stratford — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.4%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Freshwater Stratford
England 5.3% / 4.3%
Freshwater — England: 5.3% Stratford — England: 4.3%
New Zealand 2.3% / 3.2%
Freshwater — New Zealand: 2.3% Stratford — New Zealand: 3.2%
Japan 1.7% / 0.5%
Freshwater — Japan: 1.7% Stratford — Japan: 0.5%
Germany 1.1% / 0.6%
Freshwater — Germany: 1.1% Stratford — Germany: 0.6%
Scotland 0.8% / 0.8%
Freshwater — Scotland: 0.8% Stratford — Scotland: 0.8%
Philippines 0.4% / 0.6%
Freshwater — Philippines: 0.4% Stratford — Philippines: 0.6%
France — / 0.7%
Freshwater — France: not among its largest Stratford — France: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Freshwater 57.2% houses
Freshwater — Houses: 57.2% Freshwater — Flats / Apartments: 35.3% Freshwater — Townhouses: 7.5%
Stratford 75.5% houses
Stratford — Houses: 75.5% Stratford — Flats / Apartments: 8.2% Stratford — Townhouses: 16.3%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Freshwater Stratford
Median house price $870,000 $880,000
Median unit price $545,000 $462,500
Median land price $410,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 31 days
from 16 sales
 28 days
from 12 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Freshwater Stratford
3 bed $798K / $800K
Freshwater — 3 bed: $798K (20 sales) Stratford — 3 bed: $800K (11 sales)

20 vs 11 sales

4 bed $980K / $900K
Freshwater — 4 bed: $980K (15 sales) Stratford — 4 bed: $900K (13 sales)

15 vs 13 sales

Development activity

Freshwater Stratford
New dwellings approved 767
across Cairns
same for both
Approvals change year on year -81%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Freshwater Stratford
Houses 3.5%
$635/wk on $947K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Freshwater Stratford
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 70% of QLD —
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 88% of QLD Higher than 82% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 75% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 77% of QLD Higher than 80% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 24% of QLD —

Liveability

Freshwater scores higher overall (67 vs 38); Freshwater is more walkable (55 vs 32).

Freshwater Stratford
Grade A C
Score 67/100 38/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Stratford carries more bushfire risk (65 vs 0); Stratford carries more crime risk (71 vs 40).

Freshwater Stratford
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
65/100
Crime Moderate
40/100
 High
71/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 5
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Freshwater Stratford
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
James Cook University - Cairns, 7.0 km
 1
James Cook University - Cairns, 7.4 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.1% 1.3%

Schools in Freshwater

  • Freshwater State School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Stratford

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Freshwater Stratford
Supermarkets 1
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 4 5
Parks & reserves 5 2
Childcare 4 0
GPs 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 0 1

Mobility

Freshwater Stratford
Walkability score 55/100 32/100
Distance to Brisbane 1705.6 km 1706 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 1179 min 1180 min
Public transport score 57/100
Bus
 47/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 15.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 11.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 4870
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 45
postcode 4870
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Freshwater Stratford
Car (driver) 71.5% / 66.2%
Freshwater — Car (driver): 71.5% Stratford — Car (driver): 66.2%
Worked from Home 20.7% / 21.0%
Freshwater — Worked from Home: 20.7% Stratford — Worked from Home: 21.0%
Car (passenger) 4.4% / 4.9%
Freshwater — Car (passenger): 4.4% Stratford — Car (passenger): 4.9%
Bicycle 1.7% / 4.3%
Freshwater — Bicycle: 1.7% Stratford — Bicycle: 4.3%
Walked Only 0.9% / 2.1%
Freshwater — Walked Only: 0.9% Stratford — Walked Only: 2.1%
Bus 0.9% / 1.5%
Freshwater — Bus: 0.9% Stratford — Bus: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.5%).

Setting

Freshwater Stratford
Elevation 25 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 34 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.1 km 3.3 km

NBN connectivity

Freshwater Stratford
Connectivity score 67/100 71/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 40%
1,045 premises
 47%
649 premises

Climate

Freshwater Stratford
Annual rainfall 2,121 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 18.1°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Freshwater Stratford
PM2.5 5.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 18.6 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Freshwater Stratford
Average residential rate $1,354/yr
same for both
Council Cairns
same for both

Federal electorate

Freshwater Stratford
Division Leichhardt
same for both
Member Matt Smith
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Freshwater Stratford
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Freshwater

Apartments Parks Professionals

Stratford

Professionals

More comparisons

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Other comparisons with Stratford

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Full data on Freshwater Full data on Stratford
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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