Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Pearland, TX
VS
Thornton, CO
🏆 Pearland leads 19 of 23 categories
Pearland
Texas
19
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$111,123 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
25 ✓ Safer
Population
124,478
Thornton
Colorado
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$95,064
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.
Pearland, TX
Pros
65% less violent crime than Thornton
Homes cost $134k less ($311,100 vs $445,200)
Violent crime is well below the national average (95.9 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (3.2%)
Households earn $16,059 more per year on average
More college-educated — 47.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Thornton, CO
Pros
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $445,200
Median income trails Pearland by $16,059/yr
Property crime (2835.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.6% vs 3.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Pearland
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Pearland
Median Income
$16,059
$111,123 vs $95,064/yr
Pearland
Violent Crime
65% lower
95.9 vs 273.6 per 100k
Pearland
Median Home Value
$134k less
$311,100 vs $445,200
Pearland
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
3.2% vs 4.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Pearland, TX | Thornton, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 105.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $311,100⚠ High ✓ Lower | $445,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,622⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,758⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $111,123 ✓ Higher | $95,064 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.6 min⚠ High | 30.9 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.3% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 43 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 25 ✓ Safer | 72 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 69 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 47.1% ✓ Higher | 30.7% |
| High School or Higher | 94.8% ✓ Higher | 87.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PEARLAND ISD | Adams 12 Five Star Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 64.6°F ✓ Warmer | 48.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.3°F ✓ Warmer | 91.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.3" | 16.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 44.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 124,478 | 141,799 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.2 ✓ Older | 33.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 76.6% ✓ Higher | 72.7% |
| Under 18 | 28.0% ✓ More | 26.6% |
| Over 65 | 11.7% ✓ More | 10.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Pearland's cost of living index is 100.2 vs Thornton's 105.5 (US average = 100).
Pearland is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Pearland leads 19 of 23 categories. Pearland wins 19 and Thornton wins 4. 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 Pearland to Thornton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($311,100 vs $445,200 median home), income ($111,123 vs $95,064), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Pearland, TX and Thornton, CO are about 899 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.