Thornton, Colorado
Encyclopedia
The city of Thornton is a Home Rule Municipality in Adams
and Weld
counties in the U.S. state
of Colorado
and a suburb of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. Thornton is 10 miles (16.1 km) northeast of the state's capital, Denver. The United States Census Bureau
that the city population was 118,772 on April 1, 2010, a 44.2% increase from the 2000 Census
population of 82,384. Thornton is the sixth most populous city in the state of Colorado
and the 213st most populous city in the United States
.
from a single tax
levy, including recreation services and free trash pickup. Thornton was named in honor of Former Colorado Governor Dan Thornton.
The Thornton Community Association (TCA) was formed in 1954 to help guide the new community's development. By the end of 1955, Thornton had 5,500 residents in over 1,200 homes. The TCA was instrumental in Thornton's 1956 incorporation as a city. Oyer G. Leary was elected the first mayor.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 27.2 square miles (70.4 km²), of which, 26.9 square miles (69.7 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (1.25%) is water.
of 2000, there were 82,384 people, 28,882 households, and 21,517 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3,066.7 people per square mile (1,184.2/km²). There were 29,573 housing units at an average density of 1,100.9 per square mile (425.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was
There were 28,882 households out of which 42.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples
living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 18.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.25.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.0% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 36.0% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 5.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $54,445, and the median income for a family was $58,742. Males had a median income of $40,098 versus $29,982 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $41,471. About 4.0% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.
, SH 44
, SH 224
, and E-470
.
Thornton is served by the Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) which provides bus service to Thornton and the rest of the Denver metropolitan area.
The major airport that serves Thornton is the Denver International Airport
.
, Vantage Point High School, Skyview High School, and Horizon High School
, five middle schools and fourteen elementary schools. Thornton has several charter schools in or near Thornton. The charter schools are: Stargate School
, Colorado Virtual Academy, New America School, Westgate Community Charter School. Thornton has several libraries and is served by the Rangeview Library District.
, Bed, Bath & Beyond, PetsMart
and others.
Adams County, Colorado
Adams County is the fifth most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the county population was 441,603 in 2010 census, a 21.4% increase since 2000 census. Adams County is named for Alva Adams, Governor of the...
and Weld
Weld County, Colorado
As of the census of 2000, there were 180,936 people, 63,247 households, and 45,221 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile . There were 66,194 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
counties in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
and a suburb of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. Thornton is 10 miles (16.1 km) northeast of the state's capital, Denver. The United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
that the city population was 118,772 on April 1, 2010, a 44.2% increase from the 2000 Census
2000 Census
The following countries conducted a census of the general population in 2000:* Costa Rica, the ninth federal census, conducted at irregular intervals* Indonesia* United States, the 22nd decennial federal census...
population of 82,384. Thornton is the sixth most populous city in the state of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
and the 213st most populous city in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
Thornton consisted solely of farmland until 1953, when Sam Hoffman purchased a lot off Washington Street about seven miles (11 km) north of Denver. The town he laid out was the first fully planned community in Adams County and the first to offer full municipal servicesMunicipal services
Municipal services or city services refer to basic services that residents of a city expect the city government to provide in exchange for the taxes which citizens pay. Basic city services may include sanitation , water, streets, schools, food inspection fire department, police, ambulance, and...
from a single tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
levy, including recreation services and free trash pickup. Thornton was named in honor of Former Colorado Governor Dan Thornton.
The Thornton Community Association (TCA) was formed in 1954 to help guide the new community's development. By the end of 1955, Thornton had 5,500 residents in over 1,200 homes. The TCA was instrumental in Thornton's 1956 incorporation as a city. Oyer G. Leary was elected the first mayor.
Geography
Thornton is located at 39°54′11"N 104°57′16"W (39.903043, -104.954406).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 27.2 square miles (70.4 km²), of which, 26.9 square miles (69.7 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (1.25%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 82,384 people, 28,882 households, and 21,517 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,066.7 people per square mile (1,184.2/km²). There were 29,573 housing units at an average density of 1,100.9 per square mile (425.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was
- 82.71% White
- 1.46% African AmericanAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
- 1.12% Native American
- 2.50% Asian
- 0.11% Pacific Islander
- 8.96% from other racesRace (United States Census)Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
- 3.14% from two or more races.
- Hispanic or Latino of any race were 21.34% of the population.
There were 28,882 households out of which 42.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 18.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.25.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.0% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 36.0% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 5.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $54,445, and the median income for a family was $58,742. Males had a median income of $40,098 versus $29,982 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $41,471. About 4.0% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.
Recreation
Thornton has 81 city parks and nearly 2000 acres (8.1 km²) of parks and open space. There are over 80 miles (128.7 km) of trails throughout the city. Thornton has several recreational facilities like the Margaret Carpenter Recreation Center and the Thornton Community Center. Thornton has several golf courses for golfers like Thorncreek Golf Course, Heritage Todd Creek Golf Club, and Riverdale Knolls Golf Course.Transportation
Major highways in Thornton are I-25, I-76, SH 7Colorado State Highway 7
State Highway 7 in the U.S. state of Colorado is a state highway. Approximately long, it is located in the north-central portion of the state, traversing the mountains on the east of the continental divide south of Estes Park as well as portions of the Colorado Piedmont north of Denver...
, SH 44
Colorado State Highway 44
State Highway 44 is a highway in Adams County, Colorado.-Route description:SH 44 runs , starting at a junction with Colorado State Highway 2, heading west across the South Platte River and ending at Colorado Boulevard in Thornton...
, SH 224
Colorado State Highway 224
-Route description:SH 224 runs , starting at an interchange with , heading south on Broadway, then east on 70th Avenue. The highway crosses the South Platte River to an interchange with and ends at a junction with .-Major intersections:...
, and E-470
E-470
E-470 is a 46-mile limited-access tollway traversing the eastern portion of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area in Colorado. The toll road is not a state highway, but is instead maintained by the E-470 Public Highway Authority.-Route description:...
.
Thornton is served by the Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) which provides bus service to Thornton and the rest of the Denver metropolitan area.
The major airport that serves Thornton is the Denver International Airport
Denver International Airport
Denver International Airport , often referred to as DIA, is an airport in Denver, Colorado. By land size, at , it is the largest international airport in the United States, and the third largest international airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport and Montréal-Mirabel...
.
Education
Thornton is served primarily by three school districts: Adams County School District 12, Mapleton Public Schools, and Brighton School District 27J. Encompassing four high schools Thornton High SchoolThornton High School
Thornton High School is the name of numerous high schools in the United States, including:* Thornton High School in Thornton, Colorado* Thornton Township High School in Harvey, Illinois* Thornton Fractional South High School in Lansing, Illinois...
, Vantage Point High School, Skyview High School, and Horizon High School
Horizon High School (Thornton, Colorado)
Horizon High School is a public secondary institution located in Thornton, Colorado. The school was recognized by the Blue Ribbon Schools Program in 1994, 1995 and 1996...
, five middle schools and fourteen elementary schools. Thornton has several charter schools in or near Thornton. The charter schools are: Stargate School
Stargate School
Stargate School is a charter school located in Thornton, CO for gifted and talented education that was founded in 1994 in the Adams 12 Five Star Schools District in Adams County, Colorado...
, Colorado Virtual Academy, New America School, Westgate Community Charter School. Thornton has several libraries and is served by the Rangeview Library District.
Shopping
Thornton has several shopping areas, such as Larkridge Mall, Thornton Town Center, and Thorncreek Crossing Shopping Center. Larkridge is home to national anchor tenants, big box retailers, restaurants, and has a pedestrian village. Larkridge is anchored by Colorado's first Sears Grand store, Dick's Sporting GoodsDick's Sporting Goods
Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. , or Dick's, is a Fortune 500 American corporation in the sporting goods and retail industries.The company's headquarters are on the grounds of Pittsburgh International Airport in Findlay Township near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dick's has 451 stores in 42 states as of...
, Bed, Bath & Beyond, PetsMart
PetSmart
PetSmart, Inc. is a retail chain doing business in the United States and Canada engaged in the sale of specialty pet supplies and services such as grooming and dog training, PetSmart PetsHotel dog and cat boarding facilities and Doggie Day Care.- History :...
and others.
See also
- Adams County School District 12
- Colorado municipalitiesColorado municipalitiesThe U.S. state of Colorado currently has 271 active incorporated municipalities, including 196 towns, 73 cities, and two consolidated city and county governments.-Municipal government:...
- Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area
- Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical AreaDenver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Areathumb|300px|Map of the 12-county Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical AreaThe Denver-Aurora-Boulder, CO Combined Statistical Area is a United States Census Bureau defined Combined Statistical Area located in the Denver region of the state of Colorado...
- Front Range Urban CorridorFront Range Urban CorridorThe Front Range Urban Corridor is an oblong region of urban population located along the eastern face of the Southern Rocky Mountains in the U.S. states of Colorado and Wyoming. The corridor derives its name from the Front Range, the mountain range that defines the west central boundary of the...
- Greeley Metropolitan Statistical Area