Thornton is a city of 514 people in Iowa. 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. 84% of homes are owner-occupied. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $115,500. The foreign-born share is 1%. The median age is 34.5, younger than the US median of 38.9.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $67,031, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 34.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 38%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Thornton
What changed most since 1990
Median age37.2 → 34.5(−2.7 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Homes owned by their occupants71.6% → 84.0%(+12.3 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
Adults with a bachelor's degree11.6% → 17.2%(+5.6 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)36.8%(7)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)10.5%(2)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era31.6%(6)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0%(0)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 19 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Thornton, decade by decade
Thornton population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
426
$57,462
$57,122
11.6%
0.0
2000
422
$63,986
$83,432
17.6%
4.7
2010
422
$66,534
$97,679
18.6%
4.1
2020
400
$62,225
$99,387
17.6%
14.5
2024
514
$67,031
$115,500
17.2%
25.1
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
