Signals
Highlands Ranch
Thornton
Climate
62 · Bottom 23%
vs59 · Bottom 11%
Physical resilience
54 · Bottom 46%
vs69 · Top 38%
Housing affordability
81 · Top 50%
vs68 · Bottom 31%
Access
100 · Top 1%
vs100 · Top 1%
Economic stability
84 · Top 2%
vs78 · Top 10%
Measured values
| Metric | Highlands Ranch | Thornton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 102,257 | 144,187 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $159,307 | $103,088 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $71,247 | $43,571 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,214/sq mi | 3,948/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $712,700 | $517,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,531 | $1,895 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.1% | 71.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 67.8% | 32.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 2.9% | 7.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 87°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 15.0" | 15.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 32.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.5 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 24 | 44 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.70 | 17.67 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 14.3% | 57.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Highlands Ranch
Elevated or high exposure: hail, wildfire, tornado.
Thornton
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
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Highlands Ranch
76
Your Score
—
Area Score
Thornton
67
Your Score
61
Area Score
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Full profiles: Highlands Ranch, CO · Thornton, CO · How this is calculated: methodology