Thornton is located about 10 miles north of downtown Denver. The Thornton area was first settled primarily by World War II veterans and their families in the early 1950s, and it became an actual city in 1953. Today, the residential population of Thornton is approximately 105,182.

Access to Thornton is easy because it is located along Interstate 25, and the city is also conveniently positioned close to Denver International Airport – when compared to many of Denver’s other suburbs.

Thornton’s city government believes in supporting recreation programs for its residents, and therefore maintains about 1,000 acres of parks and open space. In Thornton there are also golf courses, a recreation center, tennis courts, and athletic fields.

Thornton Economy

The government in Thornton works hard to ensure that businesses in the city are successful and profitable. The government supports an “Economic Development Incentive Program,” which helps local businesses to make improvements to their property.

The most profitable businesses in 2006, in terms of sales tax collected, were Wal-Mart and King Soopers (grocery store). The largest employers in Thornton in 2006 were Echostar, North Suburban Medical Center, and T-Mobile.

The median income for a household in Thornton is $54,445, the median income for a family is $58,742, the median income for males is $40,098, the median income for females is $29,982, and the per capita income in Thornton is $21,471. About 4.0% of families and 5.2% of the population in Thornton is living below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.

Thornton Real Estate

It is possible to find a reasonably affordable single-family home in Thornton for just over $100,000. Typical home prices range from $125,000 – $800,000. Thornton is a desirable area because there are many employment opportunities in and near the city, and Thornton supports a very large community recreation center at the intersection of 112th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard.

Thornton has a close-knit community feel when residents come together and celebrate at any of the many events the city hosts each year. One of the most popular is Thorntonfest, which takes place each May on the city’s anniversary weekend. At Thorntonfest there are carnival rides, live entertainment, food, and all sorts of other festivities.