Denver, CO vs Thornton, CO
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Denver, CO outspends Thornton, CO by a wide margin per resident — $33,582 versus $14,462, a 132% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Thornton, CO edges Denver, CO on the Fiscal Health Score by 3 points — 54/100 (grade C) to 51/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Thornton, CO carries the lighter load at $1,221 per resident versus $5,126 for Denver, CO. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Denver, CO at $3,319 per resident and in Thornton, CO at $1,969.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 37% of total revenue in Denver, CO and 100% in Thornton, CO.
Summary
Denver spends 132.2% more per capita than Thornton ($19,121/person difference). Thornton, CO has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 54/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $2,070 | $530 |
| Income Tax | $236 | $420 |
| Intergovernmental | $44,661 | $17,658 |
| Charges & Fees | $5,207 | $4,216 |
| Other | $10,100 | $1,541 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $2,455 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $1,668 | $427 |
| Highways & Roads | $475 | $411 |
| Education | $821 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $764 | $899 |
| Health | $693 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $2,855 | $173 |
| Parks & Recreation | $3,319 | $1,969 |
| Housing | $3,565 | $3,363 |
| Sewerage | $293 | $159 |
| Utilities | $4,292 | $3,118 |
| Interest on Debt | $7 | $0 |
| General Admin | $364 | $0 |
| Other | $12,011 | $3,943 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.