Rents are 13% below what Thornton's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,894 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Thornton usually run 1.6% below trend in December and 1.4% above it in August, about $57 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Thornton is 3.9% below its high of $1,971 in June 2024, at $1,894 as of September 2026.
Rent in Thornton changed -0.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 60 Colorado cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.4%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Thornton rose 28.5% while median household income rose 29.8% ($79,411 to $103,088). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Thornton is 22.1% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 5 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($103,088) is $2,577 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,453); a 3-bedroom is $3,203.
The priciest of 4 ZIP codes in Thornton, 80602 ($2,934/mo), costs 1.8 times the cheapest, 80229 ($1,633/mo).
Northglenn, 2 miles away, rents for 20% less ($1,515/mo), about $4,500 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Thornton. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Thornton, CO is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 32.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Thornton, CO has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Thornton, CO paid around $1,635 a month. That figure now sits near $1,894, up 15.8% from the 2021 baseline. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $86,818 in 2021 to $103,088 more recently. Census counts show Thornton, CO adding about 3,649 residents over the five-year window, up 2.6% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 29.4% to 32.8% across the same window. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Thornton, CO market of 2021.
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At $1,894/mo, how Thornton rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Thornton rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Thornton. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Thornton
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Thornton is $1,894/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,878/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,453/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,048/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,203/mo.
At 22% of local median household income ($103,088/yr), Thornton ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 0.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Thornton?
At $1,894/mo, rent takes ~22% of Thornton's median household income ($103,088/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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