Ideal CityOpen the map

Broomfield vs Thornton

Broomfield, Colorado versus Thornton, Colorado: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Broomfield

Mixed · objective livability49/100

Thornton

Mixed · objective livability43/100

Broomfield edges out Thornton on overall objective livability (49 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorBroomfieldThornton
Affordability
Median Household Income$118k$95k
Cost of Living$70k$70k
Home Value$582k$445k
Monthly Rent$2k$2k
Monthly Owner Costs$2k$2k
Property Tax Rate0.62%0.59%
Income Tax4.40%4.40%
Sales Tax7.81%7.81%
Estimated total tax burden10.04%9.74%
Unemployment3.2%4.6%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)29°F32°F
Summer Temp (Jul)69°F75°F
Annual Precipitation16.7 in16.7 in
Annual Snowfall73.9 in44.8 in
Sunny Days210 days210 days
Summer Humidity49°F49°F
Comfortable Days28 days43 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk34.522.7
Air Quality41 AQI48 AQI
School Quality49.649.6
Violent Crime—1372/100k
Property Crime—3496/100k
Community
Population73,946141,799
Median Age38.633.7
Racial Diversity0.330.51
Male/Female Ratio1.011.01
Political LeaningD+28D+28
White (%)74.6%51.1%
Black (%)1.2%2.0%
Hispanic (%)13.2%37.3%
Asian (%)6.9%5.5%
Other / Multiracial (%)4.1%4.1%
Getting Around
Commute Time27 min31 min
Walkability9.5/2012.8/20
Airport Distance22 mi15 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access95.0%95.1%
Amenities Nearby73.4330.89
Park & Nature AccessModerateModerate

Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.

Frequently asked questions

Is Broomfield or Thornton more affordable?
Thornton has the lower cost of living: its index is $70k, compared with Broomfield's $70k and Thornton's $70k. Median rent is $2k in Broomfield versus $2k in Thornton.
Are homes cheaper in Broomfield or Thornton?
The median home value is $582k in Broomfield and $445k in Thornton, so homes are more affordable in Thornton.
See each on the map

Explore Broomfield →Explore Thornton →

Full profiles