Median Income
$95,064
household / year
Median Home Value
$445,200
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,758
gross / month
Cost of Living
106
national avg = 100

Is Thornton, CO a Good Place to Live?

Thornton is a mid-sized city of 141,799 in Colorado, with a median household income of $95,064 and a 4.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 106 (US average = 100), which is 6% above the national average.

Strengths: Thornton stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B-).

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, longer commutes. 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: 105.5

Thornton's overall cost of living index is 105.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Thornton costs roughly 6% more than the average American city.

Metric Thornton, CO National Avg
Median Home Value $445,200 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,758 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 72.7% 65.9%
Median Household Income $95,064 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Thornton's violent crime rate is 273.6 per 100,000 residents — 28% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
273.6 /100k
Property Crime
2835.8 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Thornton is served primarily by Adams 12 Five Star Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.3:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Thornton, CO National Avg
School District Adams 12 Five Star Schools —
Elementary Schools 34 —
Middle Schools 7 —
High Schools 8 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 17.3:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 30.7% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 87.6% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Thornton sees average highs of 48.0°F in January and 91.1°F in July, with 16.7 inches of annual precipitation and 44.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricThornton, CO
Average High — January48.0°F
Average High — July91.1°F
Annual Precipitation16.7"
Annual Snowfall44.8"

Demographics

MetricThornton, CONational Avg
Population141,799—
Median Age33.738.9
Unemployment Rate4.6%3.7%
Avg Commute Time30.9 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)67.7%59.3%
Black or African American2.3%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino19.1%18.9%
Asian5.6%6.3%
Under 1826.6%22.2%
65 and over10.1%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Northglenn, CO 2 mi Federal Heights, CO 5 mi Todd Creek, CO 6 mi Derby, CO 6 mi Welby, CO 6 mi

ZIP Codes in Thornton

Thornton, CO is covered by 5 ZIP codes:

80602 80229 80241 80233 80260

Thornton vs Other Cities

Thornton, CO vs Northglenn, CO Thornton, CO vs Federal Heights, CO Thornton, CO vs Todd Creek, CO Thornton, CO vs Derby, CO Thornton, CO vs Welby, CO

Frequently Asked Questions

Thornton's cost of living index is 106, where 100 is the national average. That puts Thornton roughly 6% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $445,200 and median rent is $1,758/month.
Thornton's violent crime rate is 273.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2835.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Thornton are operated by Adams 12 Five Star Schools. The district has 34 elementary, 7 middle, and 8 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.3:1. 30.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Thornton, CO has a population of 141,799, a median household income of $95,064, and an unemployment rate of 4.6%. 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 48.0°F in January and 91.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 16.7 inches with about 44.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Thornton, CO is covered by 5 ZIP codes: 80602, 80229, 80241, 80233, 80260.
The population of Thornton, Colorado is 141,799 with a median age of 33.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Thornton: cost of living index 106 (100 = US average), median home $445,200, median household income $95,064, crime index 97 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. 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.