Thornton is a city in Adams County, Colorado, home to about 144,187 people across 36 square miles. Its ZIP codes are 80229, 80241 and 80602, and parts of 80023, 80233, 80260 and 80640 are in Thornton too.
Homes sold for a median of $234 per square foot across 3 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and all of them were seller’s markets.
Mostly Thornton; also Welby and North Washington
All in Thornton
Mostly Thornton; also Todd Creek
Mostly Broomfield; part is in Thornton
Mostly Northglenn; part is in Thornton
Mostly Federal Heights; part is in Thornton
Mostly Commerce City; part is in Thornton
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Thornton. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Thornton’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Thornton well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Denver International Airport (DEN)14 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC)9 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Denver, CO11 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Phoenix, AZ590 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Thornton; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Thornton had 141,867 residents in the 2020 census, up 72% since 2000.
It’s the 6th largest of 472 towns in Colorado by population.
Adams County grew from 8,892 residents in 1910 to 519,572 in 2020.
Adams County, 1910–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 91°F in summer, and winter lows average 19°F. About 14.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 45 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Northglenn, CO weather station (4 miles away).
207,227 jobs at 11,319 businesses in Adams County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
745 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Thornton’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 48 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 114 |
| Dentists | 90 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 152 |
| Mental health providers | 163 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 132 |
| Optometrists | 25 |
| Chiropractors | 21 |
| Pharmacies | 13 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (117 nearby)
Grocery stores (15 nearby)
Pharmacies (3 nearby)
Libraries (2 nearby)
Museums
Theaters and performance venues (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 4 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1956.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Mapleton School District No. 1 in the county of Adams & St, School District 27J, Adams 12 Five Star Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achieve AcademyThornton | Pre-K–8 | 370 | Public | 3.7 mi |
| Brantner Elementary SchoolThornton | Pre-K–5 | 574 | Public | 2.8 mi |
| Bright Horizons PreschoolThornton | Pre-K | 36 | Public | 2.3 mi |
| Cherry Drive Elementary SchoolThornton | Pre-K–5 | 325 | Public | 0.9 mi |
| Coronado Hills Elementary SchoolThornton | Pre-K–5 | 412 | Public | 4.8 mi |
| Explore Pk-8Thornton | Pre-K–8 | 557 | Public | 2.3 mi |
| Hunters Glen Elementary SchoolThornton | Pre-K–5 | 491 | Public | 2.4 mi |
| Meadow Community SchoolThornton | Pre-K–8 | 378 | Public | 3.6 mi |
| Riverdale Elementary SchoolThornton | Pre-K–5 | 372 | Public | 1.6 mi |
| Tarver Elementary SchoolThornton | Pre-K–5 | 475 | Public | 1.8 mi |
| Thornton Elementary SchoolThornton | Pre-K–5 | 387 | Public | 3.8 mi |
| Welby Community School of the ArtsDenver | Pre-K–6 | 308 | Public | 5.5 mi |
| West Ridge ElementaryThornton | Pre-K–5 | 690 | Public | 2.1 mi |
| Woodglen Elementary SchoolThornton | Pre-K–5 | 383 | Public | 0.6 mi |
| Clayton Partnership SchoolThornton | K–8 | 430 | Public | 4.0 mi |
| Discovery Magnet SchoolThornton | K–8 | 692 | Public | 3.5 mi |
| Eagleview Elementary SchoolThornton | K–5 | 451 | Public | 1.7 mi |
| McElwain Elementary SchoolThornton | K–5 | 361 | Public | 4.7 mi |
| Monterey Community SchoolDenver | K–8 | 440 | Public | 4.4 mi |
| Prairie Hills Elementary SchoolThornton | K–5 | 378 | Public | 2.3 mi |
| Silver Creek ElementaryThornton | K–5 | 538 | Public | 4.1 mi |
| Skyview Elementary SchoolThornton | K–5 | 326 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| Stargate Charter SchoolThornton | K–12 | 1,572 | Charter | 3.8 mi |
| Stellar Elementary SchoolThornton | K–5 | 418 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| Westgate Community SchoolThornton | K–12 | 540 | Charter | 2.2 mi |
| York InternationalThornton | K–12 | 776 | Public | 3.5 mi |
| Century Middle SchoolThornton | 6–8 | 717 | Public | 2.0 mi |
| Pathways Future CenterThornton | 6–12 | 386 | Alternative Education | 2.4 mi |
| Rocky Top Middle SchoolThornton | 6–8 | 1,052 | Public | 2.9 mi |
| Rodger Quist Middle SchoolThornton | 6–8 | 855 | Public | 3.4 mi |
And 8 more.
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assumption Catholic SchoolDenver | Pre-K–8 | 128 | Roman Catholic | 5.3 mi |
| Eastlake Montessori SchoolThornton | Pre-K–K | 4 | Nonsectarian | 1.4 mi |
| Frassati Catholic AcademyThornton | Pre-K–8 | 299 | Roman Catholic | 1.5 mi |
| Lord of Life Lutheran SchoolThornton | Pre-K–8 | 91 | Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod | 0.2 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
Buying or selling around Thornton? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
Shares ZIP codes with Broomfield, Northglenn, Welby, Federal Heights, Commerce City, Westminster, Todd Creek, Brighton and North Washington.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.