2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Thornton, CO vs Boulder, CO

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Boulder or is it cheaper to live in Thornton?
- Boulder is 16.5% more expensive than Thornton.

Which city has more affordable housing, Boulder or Thornton?
- Boulder housing costs are 101.2% more expensive than Thornton housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Thornton or is Health Care more affordable in Boulder.
- Health related expenses are 0.6% more in Boulder.
 Thornton, COBoulder, COUnited States
 Overall  Unlock141.3100
 Food & Groceries100.0  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock85.5100
 Housing160.3  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$997,100$338,100
 Utilities98  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock95.2100
 Miscellaneous111.3  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Thornton    5 Reviews

Good place. Very suburbany (similar to the Springs). The houses are very small and old and yet still very expensive (albeit cheaper than southern Denver). Actually lots  More

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Over 5 years ago

I like Denver metro, but some cities aren’t too great. Thornton being one of them. Moved here because of highway access, and convenience to DIA for business travel. Am  More

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Over 10 years ago

The quality of life here in not good. The traffic is bad all the time. To try to get to the mountains takes forever! Also most lakes along the front range you can't even  More

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Reviews for Boulder    55 Reviews

Outside of the university, Boulder had a very distinctive "wealthy hippy" feel. A lot of alternative medicine and a matching ethos. This is changing some among my  More

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We moved here from Texas about 4 years ago and love it here! The amazing sense of community and high regard for the environment are two of the main reasons we love  More

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Over 5 years ago

Most people do much worse than Boulder. I'm the most critical person I've ever met who is never happy or satisfied -- so that's a pretty huge compliment.   More

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