The Town FilesFairplay, Colorado
Town in Park County · population 724 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $431,300
- Household income
- $107,976
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 71°
- Snow a year
- 177 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 37.7
Fairplay is a town of 724 people in Park County, Colorado. The median home is worth $431,300, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks quieter than 87% of Colorado towns, better for a vacation home than 83% of Colorado towns, better for first-time buyers than 76% of Colorado towns.
How Fairplay ranks
Percentile among Colorado towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Colorado towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fairplay is worth $431,300, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $107,976, which is more affordable than 82% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $2,166 a month. 44.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fairplay | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $431,300 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $2,166 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $107,976 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 44.9% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.6% | — |
Who lives in Fairplay
| People | Fairplay | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.7 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.3% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 8.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.8% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.6% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 18.7% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 33.1 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.3% | 92.9% |
Weather in Fairplay
July highs average 71.0°F and January lows 9.7°F. About 15.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 176.5 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 236 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Fairplay since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 13, 1977 about 4.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 13, 1977.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on June 9, 2024.
Severe weather in Park County since 1996
Park County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4498: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3436: Covid-19 |
| July 16, 2015 | Flood | DR-4229: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| June 27, 2008 | Fire | FM-2778: Nash Ranch Fire |
| September 5, 2005 | Coastal Storm | EM-3224: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Park County
Park County had 3,132 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,828 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Fairplay itself the ACS puts it at 1.1%.
Public schools in Fairplay
3 public schools with 417 students, about 11.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edith Teter Elementary School | PK-5 | 201 | 13.4 |
| South Park High School | 9-12 | 129 | 11.7 |
| South Park Middle School | 6-8 | 87 | 9.7 |
Towns near Fairplay
- Blue River, CO15.6 mi · 877 people · home $1,267,300
- Leadville, CO15.9 mi · 2,633 people · home $447,600
- Leadville North, CO16.9 mi · 1,892 people · home $536,200
- Breckenridge, CO19.2 mi · 5,078 people · home $1,012,700
- Copper Mountain, CO20.5 mi · 650 people · home —
- Frisco, CO25.0 mi · 2,913 people · home $891,400
- Keystone, CO26.7 mi · 1,369 people · home $1,284,700
- Dillon, CO27.8 mi · 1,064 people · home $1,090,000
Fairplay questions
Is Fairplay, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fairplay scores better for retirees than 38% of Colorado towns and quieter than 87%. 15.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.7).
How much does a house cost in Fairplay?
The median owner-occupied home in Fairplay is valued at $431,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $107,976, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $2,166 a month.
What is the weather like in Fairplay?
July highs average 71.0°F and January lows 9.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.1 inches of precipitation a year and 176.5 inches of snow.
Does Fairplay get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Fairplay since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 13, 1977. The typical Colorado town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)