City Comparison
Thornton vs Centennial
Cost of living, salaries, climate and quality of life compared side by side.
VS
Centennial scores higher overall
Performance
Score Breakdown
Thornton
Centennial
Livability
Affordability
Business
Growth
Expenses
Cost of Living
Centennial is the more affordable option overall — monthly living expenses run about
29% lower than in Thornton.
| Metric | Thornton | Centennial | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Rent | $1,945 | $2,063 | -6% |
| Groceries | $400 | $0 | 0% |
| Utilities | $180 | $0 | 0% |
| Transport | $120 | $0 | 0% |
| Healthcare | $250 | $0 | 0% |
| Monthly Total | $2,895 | $2,063 | +40% |
| Cost Index | 105 | out of 100 |
Income
Salary & Income
Centennial offers 53% lower average salaries.
| Metric | Thornton | Centennial |
|---|---|---|
| Average Salary | $78,000 | $167,169 |
| Salary Needed | $62,000 | $0 |
| Household Income | $103,088 | $131,928 |
Weather
Climate Comparison
Thornton runs warmer on average — a 53.2°F difference year-round.
For sunshine, Thornton comes out ahead with 285 more sunny days per year,
which can meaningfully impact mood and outdoor lifestyle.
Winter severity differs too — Thornton sees 22.8 more inches of snowfall annually.
| Metric | Thornton | Centennial |
|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 53.20°F | °F |
| Summer High | 86.80°F | °F |
| Winter Low | 19.80°F | °F |
| Rainfall | 17.20 in | in |
| Snowfall | 22.80 in | in |
| Sunny Days | 285 | |
| Humidity | 45.00% | 51.00% |
Mobility
Commute & Transport
Both cities have comparable commute times, within 2 minutes of each other.
Thornton scores higher for public transit, making it the better choice for car-free living.
For walkability, Thornton leads — a better score here means more amenities reachable on foot.
| Metric | Thornton | Centennial |
|---|---|---|
| Commute Time | 28 min | 26 min |
| Transit Score | 55.0/100 | — |
| Walkability | 58.0/100 | — |
| Traffic Index | 48.00 | |
| Car Dependency | High | Medium |
Population
Economy & Demographics
Thornton is the larger city
— approximately 1.4x the population of Centennial.
From a growth perspective, Thornton is expanding faster, signaling stronger demand for housing, jobs, and services.
| Metric | Thornton | Centennial |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 147,766 | 109,178 |
| Pop. Growth | 1.05% | 0.48% |
| Median Age | 34.7 | 42.0 |
| Unemployment | 4.20% | 4.20% |
| GDP | — | — |
At a Glance
Pros & Cons
Thornton
Advantages
Median household income stands strong at $103,088, comfortably outpacing the national median.
Strategic location along the I-25 corridor provides rapid access to downtown Denver and Denver International Airport.
Extensive recreational infrastructure featuring over 81 parks and extensive multi-use trail networks.
Direct commuter rail access to the Denver metro area via the RTD N Line stations.
Proactive municipal planning and infrastructure investment ensuring robust water supply and commercial growth.
Drawbacks
Cost of living sits roughly 5.8% above the national average, driven by competitive regional housing pressures.
High car dependency across many older neighborhoods outside of the newer transit-oriented developments.
Significant commuter traffic bottlenecks along major interstate corridors during peak morning and evening hours.
Average home purchase and rental prices have climbed sharply over recent years, challenging first-time buyers.
Continental interior climate brings volatile winter temperature swings and occasional heavy spring snowstorms.
Centennial
Advantages
Centennial has a very low crime rate, 50% below the national average, making it one of the safest major U.S. cities.
The city boasts a high quality of life, ranked #1 in Colorado by U.S. News & World Report in 2025–2026.
Centennial has a strong job market and a high median household income of $131,928 as of 2024.
The public schools in Centennial are highly rated.
Residents benefit from a shorter average commute time (25.9 minutes) compared to the national average.
Drawbacks
The cost of living in Centennial is higher than the national average, particularly for housing.
Average rent in Centennial is higher than the national average.
While public transit exists, the city still exhibits a medium car dependency.
The overall crime grade, while still good, is slightly higher than the average US city according to one source.
Some areas of Centennial have higher violent crime rates than others, particularly the northeast.
Explore
Dive Deeper
Key figures side by side — see which city wins each category at a glance.
Thornton
#197Colorado, USA
63.9 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$1,945
Avg Salary
$78,000
Cost Index
105
Commute
28 min
Transit Score
55.0/100
Walkability
58.0/100
Sunny Days
285/yr
Avg Temp
53.20°F
Pop. Growth
1.05%
Unemployment
4.20%
Livability
76
Business
70
Centennial
#110Colorado, USA
66.9 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$2,063
Avg Salary
$167,169
Cost Index
Commute
26 min
Transit Score
—
Walkability
—
Sunny Days
/yr
Avg Temp
°F
Pop. Growth
0.48%
Unemployment
4.20%
Livability
80
Business
0
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