Thornton, CO vs Fort Collins, CO
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Fort Collins, CO outspends Thornton, CO by a wide margin per resident — $26,163 versus $14,462, a 81% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Thornton, CO holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 54/100 (grade C) against 44/100 (grade D) for Fort Collins, CO — a 10-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Fort Collins, CO carries the lighter load at $318 per resident versus $1,221 for Thornton, CO. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Thornton, CO leads with parks and recreation at $1,969 per resident, while Fort Collins, CO leads with highways and roads at $2,411.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Thornton, CO and 100% in Fort Collins, CO.
Summary
Fort Collins spends 44.7% more per capita than Thornton ($11,702/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)
| Property Tax | $0 | $620 |
| Sales Tax | $530 | $618 |
| Income Tax | $420 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $17,658 | $13,229 |
| Charges & Fees | $4,216 | $2,187 |
| Other | $1,541 | $3,358 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $427 | $323 |
| Highways & Roads | $411 | $2,411 |
| Education | $0 | $49 |
| Public Welfare | $899 | $2,292 |
| Hospitals | $173 | $1,022 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,969 | $2,355 |
| Housing | $3,363 | $3,104 |
| Sewerage | $159 | $0 |
| Utilities | $3,118 | $5,637 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $3,129 |
| Other | $3,943 | $5,843 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.