Thornton is a small town of 402 in Arkansas, with a median household income of $46,563
and a 45.1% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 80 (US average = 100), which is
20% below the national average.
Strengths:
Thornton stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Thornton is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Thornton city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 79.9
Thornton's overall cost of living index is 79.9,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Thornton costs roughly 20% less than the average American city.
Metric
Thornton, AR
National Avg
Median Home Value
$53,500
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$475
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
84.8%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$46,563
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Thornton's violent crime rate is 443.2 per 100,000 residents
— 17% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
443.2 /100k
Property Crime
1233.4 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Thornton, AR
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
6.4%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
71.8%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Thornton sees average highs of 52.3°F in January
and 91.0°F in July,
with 57.6 inches of annual precipitation
and 1.2 inches of snow per year.
Thornton's cost of living index is 80, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Thornton roughly 20% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $53,500 and median rent is $475/month.
Thornton's violent crime rate is 443.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1233.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Thornton, AR has a population of 402, a median household income of $46,563, and an unemployment rate of 45.1%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Thornton averages 52.3°F in January and 91.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 57.6 inches
with about 1.2 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Thornton, AR is covered by 1 ZIP code: 71766.
The population of Thornton, Arkansas is 402 with a median age of 53.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Thornton: cost of living index 80 (100 = US average), median home $53,500, median household income $46,563, crime index 93 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Thornton side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.