Stratford, Texas
Stratford, Texas | |
|---|---|
Stratford, 2006 | |
Location of Stratford, Texas | |
| Coordinates: 36°20′15″N 102°04′34″W / 36.33750°N 102.07611°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Sherman |
| Settled | c. 1885 |
| Named after | Stratford Hall |
| Area | |
• Total | 2.31 sq mi (5.98 km2) |
| • Land | 2.31 sq mi (5.98 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,694 ft (1,126 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 1,939 |
| • Density | 840/sq mi (324/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 79084 |
| Area code | 806 |
| FIPS code | 48-70544[3] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2411988[2] |
| Website | www |
Stratford is a small city and county seat of Sherman County, Texas, United States. Its population was 1,939 at the 2020 Census,[4] down from 2,017 in 2010.[5]
History
Stratford was first settled around 1885, when a man named Aaron Norton bought 100 parcels of land from the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railway. His manager, Walter Colton, named it for Stratford Hall, the childhood home of Robert E. Lee, whom he admired. A post office was established in 1900. In July 1901, Stratford was voted county seat, replacing Coldwater. In 1928, the Panhandle and Santa Fe Railway was connected to Stratford. The city was incorporated at some point before 1940.[6]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.0 square miles (5.3 km2), all land.
Stratford is situated in the Llano Estacado. The Rita Blance National Grasslands are due west of the city.[7]
Climate
Stratford has a semiarid climate (BSk) with long, hot summers and short, cool, and somewhat snowy winters.
| Climate data for Stratford, Texas (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 48.3 (9.1) |
51.5 (10.8) |
59.9 (15.5) |
69.2 (20.7) |
78.0 (25.6) |
87.1 (30.6) |
91.5 (33.1) |
89.4 (31.9) |
82.2 (27.9) |
70.8 (21.6) |
58.5 (14.7) |
47.6 (8.7) |
69.5 (20.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 19.7 (−6.8) |
22.1 (−5.5) |
29.3 (−1.5) |
37.6 (3.1) |
48.1 (8.9) |
58.0 (14.4) |
62.9 (17.2) |
61.8 (16.6) |
53.3 (11.8) |
40.5 (4.7) |
28.7 (−1.8) |
20.2 (−6.6) |
40.2 (4.6) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.53 (13) |
0.45 (11) |
1.26 (32) |
1.24 (31) |
2.24 (57) |
2.21 (56) |
2.24 (57) |
2.59 (66) |
1.68 (43) |
1.29 (33) |
0.69 (18) |
0.72 (18) |
17.15 (436) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 5.4 (14) |
2.9 (7.4) |
4.3 (11) |
1.4 (3.6) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.2 (0.51) |
2.0 (5.1) |
5.1 (13) |
21.4 (54) |
| Source: NOAA[8] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 520 | — | |
| 1920 | 472 | −9.2% | |
| 1930 | 873 | 85.0% | |
| 1940 | 877 | 0.5% | |
| 1950 | 1,385 | 57.9% | |
| 1960 | 1,380 | −0.4% | |
| 1970 | 2,139 | 55.0% | |
| 1980 | 1,917 | −10.4% | |
| 1990 | 1,781 | −7.1% | |
| 2000 | 1,991 | 11.8% | |
| 2010 | 2,017 | 1.3% | |
| 2020 | 1,939 | −3.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[9] | |||
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Stratford had a population of 1,939, 663 households, and 554 families residing in the city. The median age was 33.3 years, with 30.8% of residents under 18 and 14.3% aged 65 or older; for every 100 females there were 104.1 males and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.1 males.[10]
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[11]
There were 663 households in Stratford; 43.1% had children under 18, 59.3% were married-couple households, 15.5% were headed by a male with no spouse or partner present, and 20.4% were headed by a female with no spouse or partner present. About 20.6% of households consisted of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 or older.[10]
There were 764 housing units, of which 13.2% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 21.0%.[10]
The racial composition as of the 2020 census was the following:[12]
| Race | Number | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,053 | 54.3% |
| Black or African American | 10 | 0.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 30 | 1.5% |
| Asian | 2 | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 0 | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 400 | 20.6% |
| Two or more races | 444 | 22.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 1,046 | 53.9% |
2000 census
At the 2000 Census, 1,991 people, 722 households, and 535 families were living in the city. The population density was 980.2 inhabitants per square mile (378.5/km2). The 794 housing units had an average density of 390.9 per square mile (150.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 83.02% White, 0.30% African American, 0.65% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 14.41% from other races, and 1.56% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 30.44%.[3]
Of the 722 households, 39.2% had children under 18 living with them, 64.1% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were not families. About 24.4% of households were one person and 11.4% were one person 65 or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.21.
The age distribution was 30.5% under 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.
The median household income was $32,656 and the median family income was $37,955. Males had a median income of $27,113 versus $19,524 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,790. About 11.2% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.7% of those under age 18 and 13.8% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
Stratford is at the intersection of US Routes 54 and 287, and is the western terminus of Texas State Highway 15.[7]
The nearest major airport, Liberal Mid-America Regional Airport, is 82 miles and two states away in Liberal, Kansas, although Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport is only slightly further away, at 91 miles.[13]
Education
The city of Stratford is served by the Stratford Independent School District, and is home to Stratford High School.
The Texas Legislature assigns all of Sherman County to the Borger Junior College District.[14]
Notes
References
- ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Stratford, Texas
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race". Census Bureau Table. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ Association, Texas State Historical. "Stratford, TX". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
- ^ a b "Rita Blanca National Grasslands to Stratford, Texas". Google Maps. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
- ^ "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ "Major Airports near Stratford, Texas". Travelmath. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
- ^ Texas Education Code Sec. 130.169. BORGER JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.. Retrieved on October 5, 2025.