Thornton is a small town of 466 in Iowa, with a median household income of $58,676
and a 2.0% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 87 (US average = 100), which is
13% below the national average.
Strengths:
Thornton stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. 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: 86.6
Thornton's overall cost of living index is 86.6,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Thornton costs roughly 13% less than the average American city.
Metric
Thornton, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$93,600
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$655
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
76.9%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$58,676
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Thornton's violent crime rate is 200.2 per 100,000 residents
— 47% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
200.2 /100k
Property Crime
1844.5 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Thornton, IA
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
20.2%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
96.9%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Thornton sees average highs of 24.2°F in January
and 82.5°F in July,
with 36.2 inches of annual precipitation
and 44.4 inches of snow per year.
Thornton's cost of living index is 87, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Thornton roughly 13% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $93,600 and median rent is $655/month.
Thornton's violent crime rate is 200.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1844.5 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, IA has a population of 466, a median household income of $58,676, and an unemployment rate of 2.0%.
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 24.2°F in January and 82.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 36.2 inches
with about 44.4 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Thornton, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 50479.
The population of Thornton, Iowa is 466 with a median age of 33.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Thornton: cost of living index 87 (100 = US average), median home $93,600, median household income $58,676, crime index 67 (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.
