South Fork, Colorado Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 724, South Fork's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

South Fork is a small community located in Colorado, within Rio Grande County. The total population is 724. It ranks as the 251st most populous out of 472 Census-designated places in Colorado.

Age Demographics

The median age in South Fork is 52.0 years. This is 38% higher than the state median of 37.7 years. Only 11.2% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 11.7% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in South Fork is $76,250. This is 20% lower than the state median of $95,470. It is also 6% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.1%. This is 18% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.4%. The unemployment rate is 3.1%. This is 33% lower than the state rate of 4.6%. The median home value is $423,800. Housing costs are 21% lower than the state median of $539,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.6x. 61.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% lower than the state average of 66.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

South Fork has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.2% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.1%. The Black or African American population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 3.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (4.1%) is well below the state average of 22.5%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 3.2%.

Education

40.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 11% lower than the state rate of 45.7%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 99.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for South Fork, Colorado is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Colorado state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 472 Census-designated places in Colorado. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.