Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Plano, TX
VS
Thornton, CO
🏆 Plano leads 20 of 23 categories
Plano
Texas
20
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$105,679 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
40 ✓ Safer
Population
284,948 ✓ Larger
Thornton
Colorado
3
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$95,064
Violent Crime Index
72
Population
141,799
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Plano, TX
Pros
45% less violent crime than Thornton
More college-educated — 58.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (151.6 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Households earn $10,615 more per year on average
Homes cost $33k less ($412,500 vs $445,200)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Thornton, CO
Pros
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Cons
Property crime (2835.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Plano by $10,615/yr
Longer commutes — 30.9 min average each way
Pricier housing — median home is $445,200
Key Differences at a Glance
Plano
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 103.3 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Plano
Median Income
$10,615
$105,679 vs $95,064/yr
Plano
Violent Crime
45% lower
151.6 vs 273.6 per 100k
Plano
Median Home Value
$33k less
$412,500 vs $445,200
Plano
Summer Heat
3.2°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 91.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Plano, TX | Thornton, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 105.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $412,500⚠ High ✓ Lower | $445,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,699⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,758⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $105,679 ✓ Higher | $95,064 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.8 min ✓ Shorter | 30.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 22.3% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 52 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 40 ✓ Safer | 72 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (134) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.4% ✓ Higher | 30.7% |
| High School or Higher | 93.6% ✓ Higher | 87.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PLANO ISD | Adams 12 Five Star Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F ✓ Warmer | 48.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer | 91.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.7" | 16.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" ✓ Less | 44.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 284,948 ✓ Larger | 141,799 |
| Median Age | 38.9 ✓ Older | 33.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.7% | 72.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | 26.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.7% ✓ More | 10.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Plano's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Thornton's 105.5 (US average = 100).
Plano is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Plano leads 20 of 23 categories. Plano wins 20 and Thornton wins 3. 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 Plano to Thornton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($412,500 vs $445,200 median home), income ($105,679 vs $95,064), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Plano, TX and Thornton, CO are about 657 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.