Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Durham, NC
VS
Thornton, CO
🏆 Durham leads 15 of 23 categories
Durham
North Carolina
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,710
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
284,094 ✓ Larger
Thornton
Colorado
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$95,064 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
72 ✓ Safer
Population
141,799
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Durham, NC
Pros
Homes cost $129k less ($316,600 vs $445,200)
Rent averages $462/mo less ($1,296 vs $1,758)
More college-educated — 53.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Thornton
Smaller class sizes — 15.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (619.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Thornton by $20,354/yr
Property crime (3799.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Thornton, CO
Pros
56% less violent crime than Durham
Households earn $20,354 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $445,200
Higher rents — median is $1,758/mo
Property crime (2835.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Durham
Key Differences at a Glance
Durham
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 96.6 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Durham
Median Home Value
$129k less
$316,600 vs $445,200
Thornton
Median Income
$20,354
$95,064 vs $74,710/yr
Thornton
Violent Crime
56% lower
273.6 vs 619.2 per 100k
Thornton
Summer Heat
4.1°F warmer
July avg high 91.1°F vs 87.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Durham, NC | Thornton, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.6 ✓ Cheaper | 105.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower | $445,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,296 ✓ Lower | $1,758⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,710 | $95,064 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.3 min ✓ Shorter | 30.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 17.9% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 170⚠ High | 97 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 163⚠ High | 72 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 181⚠ High | 135⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 53.8% ✓ Higher | 30.7% |
| High School or Higher | 91.3% ✓ Higher | 87.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Durham Public Schools | Adams 12 Five Star Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.9°F ✓ Warmer | 48.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.0°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.0" | 16.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 5.2" ✓ Less | 44.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 284,094 ✓ Larger | 141,799 |
| Median Age | 34.7 ✓ Older | 33.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.0% | 72.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.1% | 26.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.7% ✓ More | 10.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Durham's cost of living index is 96.6 vs Thornton's 105.5 (US average = 100).
Durham is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Durham leads 15 of 23 categories. Durham wins 15 and Thornton wins 8. 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 Durham to Thornton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($316,600 vs $445,200 median home), income ($74,710 vs $95,064), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Durham, NC and Thornton, CO are about 1,439 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.