Thornton, CO
Census place 0877290 · pop 144,187
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
55 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
22 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
2881 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
30 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
15.2% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$517,500 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.4% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
94/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
286 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$1,898/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
17.0% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
32.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
12.6% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+5.3% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
31.8% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
71.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
20.8% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
7.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$103,088 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.39 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.56% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
96.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Frequently asked
- Is Thornton, CO a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Thornton scores 43/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is broadband access and its weakest is air quality (aqi). Colorado overall ranks #36 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Thornton, CO?
- Thornton reports 286 violent crimes per 100k and 2881 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Thornton, CO expensive to live in?
- Thornton has a median home value of $517,500 and typical rent around $1,898/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Thornton, CO?
- Its weakest measured area is air quality (aqi) (55 AQI) — 9/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
- What is Thornton, CO best at?
- Its strongest measured area is broadband access (96.5%) — 90/100, better than most U.S. cities.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.