Maffra vs Stratford

Stratford is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 42 in Maffra. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Stratford, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Stratford: a median of $560,000, against $468,000 in Maffra, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Maffra tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Stratford suits couples.

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

Stratford

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (7 vs 4)
  • carries lower crime risk (52/100 vs 72/100)

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

First-home buyers

Maffra

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($227,500 vs $290,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($467,500 vs $560,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Maffra

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $290/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Maffra

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (44/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (226.7 km vs 232.7 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Maffra is more walkable (44/100 vs 0/100)
  • Stratford carries lower crime risk (52/100 vs 72/100)

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

Investors

Stratford

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (13.9% vs 2.0%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Maffra 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.

Maffra 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.

Maffra Stratford
Walkability 44 / 0
Maffra — Walkability: 44/100 Stratford — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 28 / 48
Maffra — Safety: 28/100 Stratford — Safety: 48/100
Low fire risk 8 / 11
Maffra — Low fire risk: 8/100 Stratford — Low fire risk: 11/100
Low flood risk 11 / 24
Maffra — Low flood risk: 11/100 Stratford — Low flood risk: 24/100

Demographics

Maffra has more residents (5,384 vs 2,980); Stratford rents higher ($290/wk vs $250/wk).

Maffra Stratford
Population 5,384
+45% vs other
 2,980
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.0% +13.9%
Median age 42 39
Median household income $66,820/yr $73,788/yr
+10% vs other
Median weekly rent $250/wk $290/wk
+16% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Maffra Stratford
0-4 5.7% / 6.5%
Maffra — 0-4: 5.7% Stratford — 0-4: 6.5%
5-14 13.4% / 13.4%
Maffra — 5-14: 13.4% Stratford — 5-14: 13.4%
15-19 5.6% / 5.5%
Maffra — 15-19: 5.6% Stratford — 15-19: 5.5%
20-24 4.7% / 5.7%
Maffra — 20-24: 4.7% Stratford — 20-24: 5.7%
25-34 11.2% / 13.1%
Maffra — 25-34: 11.2% Stratford — 25-34: 13.1%
35-44 11.7% / 11.3%
Maffra — 35-44: 11.7% Stratford — 35-44: 11.3%
45-54 10.3% / 11.0%
Maffra — 45-54: 10.3% Stratford — 45-54: 11.0%
55-64 13.7% / 12.8%
Maffra — 55-64: 13.7% Stratford — 55-64: 12.8%
65-74 13.2% / 13.3%
Maffra — 65-74: 13.2% Stratford — 65-74: 13.3%
75-84 7.5% / 5.5%
Maffra — 75-84: 7.5% Stratford — 75-84: 5.5%
85+ 2.8% / 1.6%
Maffra — 85+: 2.8% Stratford — 85+: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (13.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Maffra 43.9% lone person
Maffra — Lone Person: 43.9% Maffra — Couple Families: 35.7% Maffra — One Parent Families: 16.3% Maffra — Group Household: 2.9% Maffra — Other Families: 1.2%
Stratford 37.9% lone person
Stratford — Lone Person: 37.9% Stratford — Couple Families: 45.8% Stratford — One Parent Families: 12.8% Stratford — Group Household: 2.7% Stratford — Other Families: 0.8%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Maffra 22.3% renting
Maffra — Owned Outright: 41.0% Maffra — Mortgage: 36.7% Maffra — Renting: 22.3%
Stratford 12.9% renting
Stratford — Owned Outright: 41.0% Stratford — Mortgage: 46.2% Stratford — Renting: 12.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Maffra Stratford
Certificate III & IV 19.8% / 21.5%
Maffra — Certificate III & IV: 19.8% Stratford — Certificate III & IV: 21.5%
Bachelor Degree 7.5% / 7.5%
Maffra — Bachelor Degree: 7.5% Stratford — Bachelor Degree: 7.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.2% / 8.0%
Maffra — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.2% Stratford — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 1.8%
Maffra — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Stratford — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%
Postgraduate Degree 1.7% / 1.2%
Maffra — Postgraduate Degree: 1.7% Stratford — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.5%).

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.

Maffra Stratford
England 2.1% / 2.9%
Maffra — England: 2.1% Stratford — England: 2.9%
New Zealand 0.9% / 1.3%
Maffra — New Zealand: 0.9% Stratford — New Zealand: 1.3%
Philippines 0.9% / 0.3%
Maffra — Philippines: 0.9% Stratford — Philippines: 0.3%
Netherlands 0.7% / 0.5%
Maffra — Netherlands: 0.7% Stratford — Netherlands: 0.5%
Scotland 0.4% / 0.4%
Maffra — Scotland: 0.4% Stratford — Scotland: 0.4%
India 0.5% / —
Maffra — India: 0.5% Stratford — India: not among its largest
South Africa — / 0.3%
Maffra — South Africa: not among its largest Stratford — South Africa: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Maffra 92.9% houses
Maffra — Houses: 92.9% Maffra — Flats / Apartments: 7.1%
Stratford 96.4% houses
Stratford — Houses: 96.4% Stratford — Flats / Apartments: 3.6%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Maffra Stratford
Median house price $467,500 $560,000
Median unit price $360,000 —
Median land price $227,500 $290,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 37 days
from 65 sales
 56 days
from 47 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.

Maffra Stratford
2 bed $382K / $400K
Maffra — 2 bed: $382K (15 sales) Stratford — 2 bed: $400K (5 sales)

15 vs 5 sales

3 bed $445K / $502K
Maffra — 3 bed: $445K (94 sales) Stratford — 3 bed: $502K (64 sales)

94 vs 64 sales

4 bed $590K / $595K
Maffra — 4 bed: $590K (51 sales) Stratford — 4 bed: $595K (66 sales)

51 vs 66 sales

Zoning mix

Maffra Stratford
Rural and farming 85% 93%
Infrastructure and transport 6% 2%
Residential 5% 2%
Parks and recreation 4% 2%
Industrial 1% 0%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Maffra Stratford
New dwellings approved 209
across Wellington
same for both
Approvals change year on year +17%
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.

Maffra Stratford
Houses 4.7%
$500/wk on $548K
 4.5%
$565/wk on $659K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Maffra Stratford
House price Higher than 12% of VIC Higher than 15% of VIC
Income Higher than 28% of VIC Higher than 39% of VIC
Schools Higher than 16% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 85% of VIC Higher than 35% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 83% of VIC Higher than 82% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 15% of VIC Higher than 9% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of VIC Higher than 77% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 95% of VIC Higher than 90% of VIC

Liveability

Maffra is more walkable (44 vs 0).

Maffra Stratford
Grade D
same for both
Score 18/100 15/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Maffra carries more crime risk (72 vs 52); Maffra carries more flood risk (89 vs 76).

Maffra Stratford
Bushfire High
92/100
 High
89/100
Crime High
72/100
 Moderate
52/100
Flood High
89/100
 High
76/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Maffra Stratford
Inside the suburb 3 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 3 1
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Maffra

  • Maffra Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Maffra Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • St Mary's School Catholic · Primary at peers

Schools in Stratford

  • St Patrick's School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Stratford Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Maffra Stratford
Supermarkets 4 1
Cafes & restaurants 5 3
Parks & reserves 4 7
Childcare 4 3
GPs 3 2
Pharmacies 1
same for both
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 3 1
Fuel stations 2 1
EV chargers 1
same for both
Waterways 7 6

Mobility

Stratford sits further from the CBD (232.7 km vs 226.7 km).

Maffra Stratford
Walkability score 44/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 226.7 km 232.7 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 166 min 170 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 3860
 0.2%
postcode 3862
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 41
postcode 3860
 57
postcode 3862

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.

Maffra Stratford
Car (driver) 79.7% / 82.1%
Maffra — Car (driver): 79.7% Stratford — Car (driver): 82.1%
Worked from Home 10.6% / 12.4%
Maffra — Worked from Home: 10.6% Stratford — Worked from Home: 12.4%
Car (passenger) 5.7% / 3.7%
Maffra — Car (passenger): 5.7% Stratford — Car (passenger): 3.7%
Walked Only 3.5% / 1.5%
Maffra — Walked Only: 3.5% Stratford — Walked Only: 1.5%
Bicycle 0.6% / —
Maffra — Bicycle: 0.6% Stratford — Bicycle: not among its largest
Bus — / 0.3%
Maffra — Bus: not among its largest Stratford — Bus: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (82.1%).

Setting

Maffra Stratford
Elevation 44 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 42 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 45.3 km 38.0 km

NBN connectivity

Maffra Stratford
Connectivity score 67/100 66/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 42%
2,801 premises
 47%
1,538 premises

Climate

Maffra Stratford
Annual rainfall 546 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 4.0°C
same for both

Council rates

Maffra Stratford
Average residential rate $1,960/yr
same for both
Council Wellington
same for both

Federal electorate

Maffra Stratford
Division Gippsland
same for both
Member Darren Chester
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Maffra Stratford
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Maffra

Acreage Affordable

Stratford

Affordable Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Maffra

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Other comparisons with Stratford

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Full data on Maffra 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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