Editing Stratford, New Zealand (section)

==Population==
Stratford is a rural service centre, serving the agricultural economy of its wider hinterland.

The population of the district peaked in 1961 at 11,300, and until the end of the century the town fluctuated between 5229 (2001) and 5664 (1996). The 21st century has seen significant economic growth and some associated population growth in the town.

Stratford covers {{Convert|8.90|km2||abbr=on}}<ref name="Area">{{Cite web|title=ArcGIS Web Application|url=https://statsnz.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6f49867abe464f86ac7526552fe19787| access-date=29 April 2024|website=statsnz.maps.arcgis.com}}</ref> and had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2018|Stratford|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2018|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Stratford|y}}|R}}/8.90|0}} people per km<sup>2</sup>.

{{Historical populations|2006|5,337|2013|5,469|2018|5,784|percentages=pagr|align=left|source=<ref name="Census 2018"/>}}
Before the 2023 census, the town had a smaller boundary, covering {{Convert|8.54|km2||abbr=on}}.<ref name="Area"/> Using that boundary, Stratford had a population of 5,784 at the [[2018 New Zealand census]], an increase of 315 people (5.8%) since the [[2013 New Zealand census|2013 census]], and an increase of 447 people (8.4%) since the [[2006 New Zealand census|2006 census]]. There were 2,322 households, comprising 2,811 males and 2,979 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.94 males per female, with 1,206 people (20.9%) aged under 15 years, 981 (17.0%) aged 15 to 29, 2,361 (40.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,230 (21.3%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 89.1% European/[[Pākehā]], 17.1% [[Māori people|Māori]], 1.6% [[Pasifika New Zealanders|Pacific peoples]], 3.5% [[Asian New Zealanders|Asian]], and 1.1% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 10.2, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 48.9% had no religion, 38.6% were [[Christianity in New Zealand|Christian]], 0.6% had [[Religion of Māori people|Māori religious beliefs]], 0.6% were [[Hinduism in New Zealand|Hindu]], 0.1% were [[Islam in New Zealand|Muslim]], 0.4% were [[Buddhism in New Zealand|Buddhist]] and 1.6% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 387 (8.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 1,395 (30.5%) people had no formal qualifications. 459 people (10.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,980 (43.3%) people were employed full-time, 582 (12.7%) were part-time, and 201 (4.4%) were unemployed.<ref name="Census 2018">{{NZ census 2018|Stratford North (220100), Stratford Central (220300) and Stratford South (220400)}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+Individual statistical areas in 2018
|-
!Name !! Area<br/>(km<sup>2</sup>) !! Population !! Density<br/>(per km<sup>2</sup>) || Households !! Median age !! Median<br/>income
|-
| Stratford North || style="text-align:right;"|3.29 || style="text-align:right;"|1,941 || style="text-align:right;"|590 || style="text-align:right;"|756 || 41.4 years || $27,900<ref>{{NZ census place summary 2018|stratford-north|Stratford North}}</ref>
|-
| Stratford Central || style="text-align:right;"|2.53 || style="text-align:right;"|2,061 || style="text-align:right;"|815 || style="text-align:right;"|873 || 42.0 years || $26,100<ref>{{NZ census place summary 2018|stratford-central|Stratford Central}}</ref>
|-
| Stratford South || style="text-align:right;"|2.72 || style="text-align:right;"|1,782 || style="text-align:right;"|655 || style="text-align:right;"|693 || 38.2 years || $23,600<ref>{{NZ census place summary 2018|stratford-south|Stratford South}}</ref>
|-
! New Zealand !! !! !! !! !! 37.4 years !! style="text-align:left;"| $31,800
|}