Head-to-Head · City Comparison
College Station, TX
VS
Thornton, CO
🏆 College Station leads 14 of 23 categories
College Station
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,397
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
120,451
Thornton
Colorado
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$95,064 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
72
Population
141,799 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
College Station, TX
Pros
Rent averages $629/mo less ($1,129 vs $1,758)
Homes cost $139k less ($305,800 vs $445,200)
38% less violent crime than Thornton
Commutes run 14 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (170.5 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Thornton by $42,667/yr
Thornton, CO
Pros
Households earn $42,667 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,758/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $445,200
Cost of living runs 15% higher than College Station
Property crime (2835.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
College Station
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 90.7 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
College Station
Violent Crime
38% lower
170.5 vs 273.6 per 100k
College Station
Median Home Value
$139k less
$305,800 vs $445,200
College Station
Summer Heat
4.3°F warmer
July avg high 95.4°F vs 91.1°F
Thornton
Median Income
$42,667
$95,064 vs $52,397/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | College Station, TX | Thornton, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper | 105.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $305,800⚠ High ✓ Lower | $445,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,129 ✓ Lower | $1,758⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,397 | $95,064 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.9 min ✓ Shorter | 30.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 72 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (129) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 30.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 87.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLLEGE STATION ISD | Adams 12 Five Star Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F ✓ Warmer | 48.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer | 91.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2" | 16.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 44.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,451 | 141,799 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 22.9 | 33.7 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.3% | 72.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | 26.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 6.8% | 10.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
College Station's cost of living index is 90.7 vs Thornton's 105.5 (US average = 100).
College Station is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, College Station leads 14 of 23 categories. College Station wins 14 and Thornton wins 9. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from College Station to Thornton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($305,800 vs $445,200 median home), income ($52,397 vs $95,064), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
College Station, TX and Thornton, CO are about 808 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.