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Thornton, CO

City in Adams County, Colorado. ZIP codes: 80023, 80229, 80233, 80241, 80260, 80602 and more.

Population

144,187

Land area

36.5sq mi

People per sq mi

3,948

ZIP codes

7

Thornton and its ZIP codes

Full map

Thornton at a glance

  • Thornton is about 70 times as dense as Colorado as a whole.
  • It is the 6th most populous of 472 cities and towns in Colorado.
  • Households here earn a median of $103,088 a year, 8% more than the Colorado figure of $95,470.
  • A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $517,500 (4% below Colorado) and median rent is $1,895 a month.

Local data for Thornton, CO

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Thornton, CO, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$103,088

Poverty rate

7.0%

Median home value

$517,500

Median rent

$1,895/mo

Homeownership

71.4%

Bachelor's or higher

32.8%

Median age

34.7

Average commute

30.4 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: Mexican Americans (43,197), German Americans (22,077), Irish Americans (14,218).

Home values and rentsIncome, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Adams County. PPP loans are for Thornton.

Details

Unemployment rate

4.8%

Aug 2026, +0.7 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$75,431

249,734 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$60,273

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$4.51B

FY 2026, $8,674 per person

PPP loans

$126M

2,173 loans, 15,798 jobs reported

Adams County economyFederal spendingPPP loans

How people get to work

Thornton, CO, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

  • Drove alone71.1%
  • Carpooled10.2%
  • Public transit1.6%
  • Walked0.6%
  • Bicycle0.2%
  • Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other0.9%
  • Worked from home15.3%

Average one-way commute: 30.4 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Thornton, CO, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Moderate

Top: hail

Storm events since 1996

1,055

Countywide, mostly hail

Flood insurance policies

283

0.2% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

91° / 19°F

14.5 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone1 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Thornton, CO, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

31.8%

U.S. 33.3% -1.5 pts

Diabetes

8.8%

U.S. 12.1% -3.3 pts

Smoking

12.6%

U.S. 12.8% about the same

Uninsured (18-64)

15.2%

U.S. 11.1% +4.1 pts

ZIP codes in Thornton

7 in or overlapping Thornton. Population shown

·

Cities near Thornton

NameDistanceLand area (sq mi)
NorthglennCity2.7 mi7.4
Federal HeightsCity5.3 mi1.8
Todd CreekCensus-designated place5.4 mi9.9
DerbyCensus-designated place5.4 mi1.7
WelbyCensus-designated place5.5 mi3.7
WestminsterCity5.9 mi31.6
BroomfieldCity6.1 mi33
SherrelwoodCensus-designated place6.2 mi2.5
Shaw HeightsCensus-designated place6.8 mi0.7
Twin LakesCensus-designated place7.1 mi1.6
BrightonCity7.7 mi21.7
North WashingtonCensus-designated place7.7 mi5.2
BerkleyCensus-designated place8.7 mi3.6
LafayetteCity9.6 mi9.3
ArvadaCity9.9 mi39
Commerce CityCity9.9 mi36.6

Frequently asked questions

What county is Thornton, CO in?
Thornton is in Adams County, Colorado.
What ZIP codes are in Thornton, CO?
ZIP codes in or overlapping Thornton include 80023, 80229, 80233, 80241, 80260, 80602, 80640.
What is the population of Thornton, CO?
About 144,187 people live in Thornton, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What cities are near Thornton?
Nearby places include Northglenn (2.7 mi), Federal Heights (5.3 mi), Todd Creek (5.4 mi), Derby (5.4 mi), Welby (5.5 mi).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023