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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Thornton, CO

Population: 141,799 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

C
54/100

Average fiscal health — some areas of concern

Total Spending
$2.1B
Per Capita
$14,462
Total Revenue
$2.5B
Total Debt
$173.1M

Spending Breakdown

Other
27.3%$559.1M
Housing & Community Development
23.3%$476.8M
Utilities
21.6%$442.1M
Parks & Recreation
13.6%$279.2M
Public Welfare
6.2%$127.4M
Fire Protection
3.0%$60.6M
Highways & Roads
2.8%$58.3M
Hospitals
1.2%$24.5M
Sewerage
1.1%$22.5M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
3.0%$75.2M
Income Tax
2.4%$59.5M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$2.5B
Charges & Fees
23.9%$597.8M
Other
8.7%$218.6M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$427/person
Highways & Roads$411/person
Parks & Recreation$1,969/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)78/100
Debt Burden (20%)3/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)94/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$173.1M
Long-Term Debt$269.2M
Debt Per Capita$1,221
Cash & Securities$38.7M

Compare Cities

See how Thornton stacks up against another city.

vs Denver, COvs Colorado Springs, COvs Aurora, CO
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Colorado

Denver, CO

Pop. 711K

C
Total Spending
$23.9B
Per Capita
$33,582

Colorado Springs, CO

Pop. 480K

C
Total Spending
$6.3B
Per Capita
$13,222

Aurora, CO

Pop. 387K

B
Total Spending
$6.7B
Per Capita
$17,400

Fort Collins, CO

Pop. 169K

D
Total Spending
$4.4B
Per Capita
$26,163

Compare Thornton With

Denver, CO

Spending: $33,582/person · Grade: C

Colorado Springs, CO

Spending: $13,222/person · Grade: C

Aurora, CO

Spending: $17,400/person · Grade: B

Fort Collins, CO

Spending: $26,163/person · Grade: D

Frequently Asked Questions

Thornton, CO spends $14,462 per resident, based on total expenditures of $2.1B for a population of 141,799. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of C (54/100).

Thornton, CO has total expenditures of $2.1B and total revenue of $2.5B. The city carries $173.1M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Thornton, CO employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Thornton, CO has a Fiscal Health Score of C (54/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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