Lafayette vs Thornton
Lafayette, 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.
Lafayette edges out Thornton on overall objective livability (50 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lafayette | Thornton |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $106k | $95k |
| Cost of Living | $70k | $70k |
| Home Value | $612k | $445k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.47% | 0.59% |
| Income Tax | 4.40% | 4.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.81% | 7.81% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.70% | 9.74% |
| Unemployment | 3.7% | 4.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 28°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 68°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.0 in | 16.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 65.0 in | 44.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 210 days | 210 days |
| Summer Humidity | 49°F | 49°F |
| Comfortable Days | 26 days | 43 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 22.4 | 22.7 |
| Air Quality | 39 AQI | 48 AQI |
| School Quality | 61.9 | 49.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1067/100k | 1372/100k |
| Property Crime | 2660/100k | 3496/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 30,295 | 141,799 |
| Median Age | 38.7 | 33.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.33 | 0.51 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | D+28 | D+28 |
| White (%) | 72.5% | 51.1% |
| Black (%) | 0.7% | 2.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 16.7% | 37.3% |
| Asian (%) | 3.3% | 5.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.7% | 4.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 31 min |
| Walkability | 13.9/20 | 12.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 25 mi | 15 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 95.3% | 95.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 117.84 | 30.89 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
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 Lafayette or Thornton more affordable?
- Thornton has the lower cost of living: its index is $70k, compared with Lafayette's $70k and Thornton's $70k. Median rent is $2k in Lafayette versus $2k in Thornton.
- Is Lafayette or Thornton safer?
- Lafayette has the lower violent crime rate. Lafayette reports 1067/100k and Thornton reports 1372/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lafayette or Thornton?
- The median home value is $612k in Lafayette and $445k in Thornton, so homes are more affordable in Thornton.