Thornton vs Westminster
Thornton, Colorado versus Westminster, Colorado: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Thornton and Westminster score about the same overall (43 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Thornton | Westminster |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $95k | $91k |
| Cost of Living | $70k | $70k |
| Home Value | $445k | $467k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.59% | 0.50% |
| Income Tax | 4.40% | 4.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.81% | 7.81% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.74% | 9.57% |
| Unemployment | 4.6% | 4.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.7 in | 17.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 44.8 in | 54.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 210 days | 217 days |
| Summer Humidity | 49°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 43 days | 44 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 22.7 | 32.4 |
| Air Quality | 48 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 49.6 | 56.1 |
| Violent Crime | 1372/100k | 1181/100k |
| Property Crime | 3496/100k | 4491/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 141,799 | 115,502 |
| Median Age | 33.7 | 37.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.51 | 0.38 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 1.03 |
| Political Leaning | D+28 | D+28 |
| White (%) | 51.1% | 65.2% |
| Black (%) | 2.0% | 1.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 37.3% | 24.1% |
| Asian (%) | 5.5% | 4.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.1% | 4.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 31 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 12.8/20 | 13.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 15 mi | 22 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 95.1% | 92.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 30.89 | 48.22 |
| 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 Thornton or Westminster more affordable?
- Westminster has the lower cost of living: its index is $70k, compared with Thornton's $70k and Westminster's $70k. Median rent is $2k in Thornton versus $2k in Westminster.
- Is Thornton or Westminster safer?
- Westminster has the lower violent crime rate. Thornton reports 1372/100k and Westminster reports 1181/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Thornton or Westminster?
- The median home value is $445k in Thornton and $467k in Westminster, so homes are more affordable in Thornton.