Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
South Fork’s July high is 78°F, against 89°F in Colorado’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns. No town among the 160 in Colorado we compare has a lower January low than South Fork. Its National Register listings include Spruce Lodge. South Fork has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where South Fork beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 604 in 2000, 510 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1927 and 2 maps from 1967 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in South Fork, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in South Fork.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 85% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
People 65 and older are 29% of residents (16% statewide); children under 18 are 11% of residents (21% statewide). South Fork’s median age is 52 years, above both Colorado’s towns (38.3 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). 41% of South Fork adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more.
| South Fork | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52 years | 38.3 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 41% | 44% | 29% |
Somewhere between 37% and 60% women
The Census survey reached too few of South Fork’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±11.6 points. Across Colorado, 49.3% of residents are women.
| South Fork | CO | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.7% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 1.5% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 9% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 19.2% | 15.7% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 5.7% | 14.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.1% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.4% | 11.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 17.7% | 9.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11.7% | 5.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 0.3% | 7.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 17.3% | 19.7% | 26% |
| Some college | 35.5% | 19.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 6.1% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 31% | 28.1% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 9.9% | 17.6% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 500, single groups can be off by several points
South Fork has cold winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents leave South Fork for work: only 7% work in town. The top destinations are Del Norte (10%), Alamosa (9%) and Pagosa Springs (8%). Half commute less than 35 miles.
| South Fork | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $76,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical South Fork home is worth about $448,000, up 2.4% in a year, 15% below the Colorado typical home. 62% of households own their home in South Fork.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
7 crimes were reported in South Fork in 2025: 7 property and 0 violent. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
South Fork is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Only 4 of the 160 Colorado towns we compare have a lower share of adults who report frequent mental distress than South Fork. South Fork beats the Colorado average on 7 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 9. Only 3 of the 160 Colorado towns we compare have a lower share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than South Fork.
| South Fork | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 18% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 26% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 27% | 35% |
| What stands out | South Fork | CO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.9% | 11.1% |
| Fewer binge drinkers | 14.4% | 19% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.9% | 7.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
1.6 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. South Fork’s trail density is 0.6 miles per square mile.
| South Fork | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.6 miles per square mile | 1.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.9% | 6.9% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Brown Memorial Park | — | 2 |
| 2. San Luis Valley Field Office | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of South Fork; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 South Fork residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Colorado.
2 places in South Fork on the National Register of Historic Places.
Town in Colorado, United States
South Fork is a statutory town in Rio Grande County, Colorado, United States. It lies at the confluence of the South Fork and Rio Grande rivers. The population was 510 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
South Fork has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real. Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
