Cost of Living: Thornton, CO vs Phoenix, AZ

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,259/mo in Thornton, CO versus $4,370/mo in Phoenix, AZ. In the model, rent is about 26.38% of gross in Thornton, CO versus 21.24% in Phoenix, AZ, so Phoenix, AZ tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Thornton, CO
$4,259/mo
Income level: below
Take-home in Phoenix, AZ
$4,370/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Thornton, CO
26.38%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Phoenix, AZ
21.24%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Thornton, CO and Phoenix, AZ.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Thornton, CO
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Phoenix, AZ
  • Lower home prices: Phoenix, AZ
  • Higher median household income: Thornton, CO

Cost of Living Index

Thornton, CO: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Phoenix, AZ: 102.4 (U.S. = 100)

Thornton, CO has a lower cost-of-living index than Phoenix, AZ, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Thornton, CO: $1,720/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Phoenix, AZ: $1,385/mo

Median rent in Thornton, CO is $335/mo higher than in Phoenix, AZ.

Median Home Price

Thornton, CO: $482,200 · Phoenix, AZ: $381,900

Median home price in Thornton, CO is $100,300 higher than in Phoenix, AZ.

Median Household Income

Thornton, CO: $100,985 · Phoenix, AZ: $77,041

Thornton, CO has a higher median household income than Phoenix, AZ by $23,944.

Thornton, CO overview · Phoenix, AZ overview · Popular comparisons