Stretford borders Chorlton-cum-Hardy to the east, Moss Side and Whalley Range to the south-east, Hulme to the north-east, Urmston to the west, Salford to the north and Sale to the south.

Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, Stretford was an agricultural village in the 19th century; it was known locally as Porkhampton, due to the large number of pigs produced for the Manchester market.

The arrival of the Manchester Ship Canal in 1894, and the subsequent development of the Trafford Park industrial estate, accelerated the industrialisation that had begun in the late 19th century.

Stretford has been the home of Manchester United Football Club since 1910 and of Lancashire County Cricket Club since 1864. Notable residents have included the industrialist, philanthropist and Manchester's first multi-millionaire John Rylands, the suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, the painter L. S. Lowry, Smiths front-man Morrissey, Joy Division front-man Ian Curtis, pop singer Andy Gibb and Jay Kay of Jamiroquai.

Stretford was part of the land occupied by the Celtic Brigantes tribe before and during the Roman occupation, and lay on their border with the Cornovii on the southern side of the Mersey.

The gardens were sited in Old Trafford on the advice of scientist John Dalton, because the prevailing southwesterly wind kept the area clear of the city's airborne pollution.

[21][22] During the Second World War Trafford Park was largely turned over to the production of matériel, including the Avro Manchester heavy bomber, and the Rolls-Royce Merlin engines used to power both the Spitfire and the Lancaster.

[26] Smoke generators were set up in the north of the town close to Trafford Park in an effort to hide it from enemy aircraft,[27] and 11,900 children were evacuated to safer areas in Lancashire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, and Staffordshire, along with their teachers and supervisors.

[28] A memorial to those residents who lost their lives in the bombing was erected in Stretford Cemetery in 1948, over the communal grave of the 17 unidentified people who were killed in the blitz of December 1940.

[29] Between 1972 and 1975, what is now a closed B&Q store (originally constructed as a multi-lane Bowling Alley) in Great Stone Road was the 3,000-capacity Hardrock Theatre and Village Discothèque, hosting some of that period's major artists in their prime.

Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Bob Marley, Elton John, Hawkwind, Yes, Chaka Khan, Curved Air and Lou Reed were amongst those who appeared.

[30] In more recent years, Lancashire Cricket Club's Old Trafford ground, next door, has provided a concert venue for bands such as Oasis, Foo Fighters, The Cure, Radiohead, Coldplay, Arctic Monkeys and Pixies.

The completion of the Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway (MSJAR) in 1849, passing through Stretford, led to the population of the town nearly doubling in a decade, from 4,998 in 1851 to 8,757 by 1861.

[39] The MSJAR railway line through Stretford was electrified in 1931 and converted to light rail operation in 1992, when it became part of the Manchester Metrolink tram network.

[47] Green resigned as MP in 2022 to replace Hughes as her role as Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, and the following by-election was won by Leader of Trafford Council Andrew Western, retaining the seat for Labour with an increased share of the vote.

The area is generally flat, sloping slightly southwards towards the river valley,[2] and is approximately 150 feet (46 m) above sea level at its highest point.

The western terminus of the early medieval linear earthwork Nico Ditch is in Hough Moss, just to the east of Stretford; it was probably used as an administrative boundary and dates from the 8th or 9th century.

The Trafford Centre, a large shopping and leisure complex opened in September 1998, lies to the northwest of Stretford about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) away.

[68] According to the 2011 UK census, the industry of employment of residents in Stretford was 17% retail and wholesale, 11% health and social work, 11% education, 7% manufacturing, 6% transport and storage, 6% public administration and defence, 6% professional, scientific and technical activities, 5% hotels and restaurants, 5% construction, 5% finance, 1% energy and water supply, 0.06% agriculture and 5% other.

[74] In 2017 a proposal was put forward by Trafford Council to bring the Essoldo back into use as part of the new University Academy 92, to provide student amenities and other community facilities such as an enhanced library.

[81] Stretford's remembrance parade, which is made up of the Scouting, Girl Guiding and Boys Brigade divisions from the area as well as the cadets finishes here, in a semi-circle around the Cenotaph whilst the public and independent representatives stand on the main road which is closed for the occasion.

[45] The Union Church was formed in 1862, with John Rylands as its patron;[88] he laid the foundation stone of its building in Edge Lane, close to Longford Park's southern entrance, in 1867.

Junction 7 of the M60 is just to the north of Stretford's boundary with Sale and the A56 road gives easy access to the south, as well as to Manchester city centre in the other direction.

[104] St Ann's is a Roman Catholic church, built in 1862–67 by E. W. Pugin for Sir Humphrey and Lady Annette de Trafford.

[105] Features include a historic organ built by Jardine & Co (1867) and a good number of fine stained glass windows by Hardman & Co of Birmingham.

Trafford Council voted against the demolition of the town hall and instead, in 2007, signed an agreement jointly with Lancashire County Cricket Club, Ask Developments and Tesco, to redevelop the ground on its present site.

[109] The new cricket ground will be at the heart of a 750,000 square feet (69,677 m2) development that will also include business space, residential, retail, hotel and leisure facilities.

[113] There is a procession of decorated floats through the streets, collecting money for local charities and ending at Longford Park, where the Rose Queen is crowned.

[citation needed] Sir Walter Baldwin Spencer KCMG (1860–1929) a British-Australian biologist and anthropologist was born in Stretford,[126] as were ABC's lead singer Martin Fry, rock climber Derek Hersey[127] and television actor John Comer, best known for his role as café owner Sid in the BBC sitcom Last of the Summer Wine.

[128] A number of Manchester United players, including some of those who died in the Munich air disaster of February 1958, lived in lodgings at 19 Gorse Avenue.