Thornton is a city located in Adams County Colorado. Thornton has a 2024 population of 145,834. Thornton is currently growing at a rate of 0.63% annually and its population has increased by 2.57% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 142,185 in 2020.
The average household income in Thornton is $111,717 with a poverty rate of 7.97%. The median age in Thornton is 33.7 years: 33 years for males, and 34.4 years for females.
The city of Thornton is a home rule municipality located in Colorado. Situated in Weld and Adams counties, and the northeast region of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area, Thornton is about 10 miles north-northeast of downtown Denver, the most populous city of Colorado.
In 1960, four years after Thornton was incorporated as a city, the population stood at 11,353. The years between 1970 and 1980 saw a huge growth from 13,326 to 42,054, and an annual growth rate of 12.18%. This could be attributed to the annexation of neighboring communities.
As of 2019, the population of Thornton, Colorado stands at 137,000, with a percentage growth of over 1,000% in the 60 years since the city was incorporated in 1956. Colorado is now the 7th fastest-growing state in the U.S. with much of the growth in the Metro Denver area. Since the 1930s, Metro Denver's growth rate has outpaced the national average (http://www.metrodenver.org/do-business/demographics/population/) and this growth has included the area of Thornton.
Up until 1953, Thornton consisted exclusively of farmland. A purchase that year by Sam Hoffman saw the planning of the first community in Adams County. It was the first to offer full municipal services from a single tax levy, including services such as free trash pickup and recreation. By the end of 1955, Thornton had over 5000 residents in over 1,200 homes. Thornton was incorporated as a city a year later in 1956.
June of 1981 saw Thornton receiving one of the two most destructive tornados in the Denver metropolitan area’s history, causing damage totaling over $15 million. The second touched down in the nearby Denver suburb of Lakewood. These were followed by three more just 7 years later in 1988.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Thornton was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 96,021 | 67.72% |
| Two or more races | 22,122 | 15.6% |
| Other race | 11,105 | 7.83% |
| Asian | 8,007 | 5.65% |
| Black or African American | 3,191 | 2.25% |
| Native American | 1,341 | 0.95% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 12 | 0.01% |
White
Two or more races
Other race
Asian
Black or African American
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 48,466 | 2.91 | 72.7 | 27.3 |
| Married | 26,341 | 3.5 | 83.8 | 16.2 |
| Non Family | 13,863 | 1.43 | 59 | 41 |
| Female | 5,267 | 3.48 | 56.9 | 43.1 |
| Male | 2,995 | 3.62 | 66.9 | 33.1 |
3.38
Average Family Size
2.91
Average Household Size
72.7%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 6,597 | 7.31% |
| Associates Degree | 8,294 | 9.19% |
| Bachelors Degree | 19,055 | 21.11% |
| Graduate Degree | 8,657 | 9.59% |
| High School Graduate | 23,601 | 26.15% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 4,567 | 5.06% |
| Some College | 19,496 | 21.6% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 52,064 | 49,716 | 19,708 |
| Hispanic | 28,244 | 20,757 | 4,217 |
| 2+ Races | 11,207 | 9,016 | 2,585 |
| Other Race | 6,757 | 4,905 | 1,086 |
| Asian | 5,292 | 4,469 | 2,131 |
| Black | 1,856 | 1,626 | 429 |
| Native American | 903 | 770 | 230 |
| Islander | 11 | 11 | 5 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among islander people with a rate of 45.45%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $70,733 | $89,243 | $56,748 |
| Graduate Degree | $78,647 | $100,698 | $72,273 |
| High School Graduate | $47,068 | $53,794 | $39,531 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $40,985 | $47,489 | $25,813 |
| Overall | $54,915 | $61,686 | $46,187 |
| Some College | $52,228 | $60,508 | $43,688 |
$54,915
Average Earnings
$61,686
Average Male
$46,187
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
73.93% of Thornton residents speak only English, while 26.07% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 19.84% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 71,594 | 5,216 | 7.29% |
| Hispanic | 52,717 | 4,127 | 7.83% |
| Multiple | 22,118 | 1,855 | 8.39% |
| Asian | 7,993 | 1,074 | 13.44% |
| Other | 11,099 | 769 | 6.93% |
| Black | 3,101 | 235 | 7.58% |
| Native | 1,341 | 183 | 13.65% |
| Islander | 11 | 6 | 54.55% |
7.97%
Overall Poverty Rate
7.03%
Male Poverty Rate
8.92%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Thornton is Islander, with 54.55% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Thornton is Other, with 6.93% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 1.72%. Among those working part-time, it was 12.24%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 14.19%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 12.38% |
| Some College | 6.84% |
| High School | 6.23% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 2.93% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 24.39% |
| Female Unemployed | 15.52% |
| Female Employed | 4.85% |
| Male Employed | 3.76% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $106,963 | $122,918 |
| Households | $95,064 | $111,717 |
| Married Families | $122,165 | $136,988 |
| Non Families | $63,180 | $74,132 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
52.1%
Overall Marriage Rate
52.9%
Male Marriage Rate
51.2%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
6,868
Number of Veterans
6,245
Male Veterans
623
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 2,060 |
| Second Gulf War | 1,899 |
| First Gulf War | 1,881 |
| Korea | 197 |
| World War II | 47 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 35 to 54 | 2,157 |
| 65 to 74 | 1,454 |
| 55 to 64 | 1,241 |
| 75+ | 1,137 |
| 18 to 34 | 879 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 5,239 | 7.22% |
| Hispanic | 1,503 | 4.25% |
| 2+ Races | 680 | 4.79% |
| Black | 486 | 21.83% |
| Other Race | 342 | 4.17% |
| Asian | 83 | 1.41% |
| Native American | 38 | 4% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
3.3%
Veteran Poverty Rate
21.5%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
74.3%
Labor Force Participation
70.9%
Employment Rate
4.6%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
52.04%
Born in Thornton
86.02%
Native Born
13.98%
Foreign Born
8.9%
Non Citizen
5.08%
Naturalized
86.02% of Thornton residents were born in the United States, with 52.04% having been born in Colorado. 8.9% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 150,396 | 913 | 0.61% |
| 2028 | 149,483 | 912 | 0.61% |
| 2027 | 148,571 | 912 | 0.62% |
| 2026 | 147,659 | 913 | 0.62% |
| 2025 | 146,746 | 912 | 0.63% |
| 2024 | 145,834 | 912 | 0.63% |
| 2023 | 144,922 | 1,675 | 1.17% |
| 2022 | 143,247 | 322 | 0.23% |
| 2021 | 142,925 | 740 | 0.52% |
| 2020 | 142,185 | -4,744 | -3.23% |
| 2019 | 146,929 | 1,770 | 1.22% |
| 2018 | 145,159 | 2,975 | 2.09% |
| 2017 | 142,184 | 3,759 | 2.72% |
| 2016 | 138,425 | 3,234 | 2.39% |
| 2015 | 135,191 | 3,246 | 2.46% |
| 2014 | 131,945 | 3,279 | 2.55% |
| 2013 | 128,666 | 3,240 | 2.58% |
| 2012 | 125,426 | 3,019 | 2.47% |
| 2011 | 122,407 | 2,863 | 2.39% |
| 2010 | 119,544 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 82,384 | 27,353 | 49.7% |
| 1990 | 55,031 | 12,977 | 30.86% |
| 1980 | 42,054 | 28,728 | 215.58% |
| 1970 | 13,326 | 1,973 | 17.38% |
| 1960 | 11,353 | -139,043 | -92.45% |