City of Thornton

Thornton is a diverse community with a strong commitment to quality of life and environmental issues. The Denver metropolitan area in which Thornton is located consistently ranks as one of the most desirable areas to live in the United States. The community's location, 10 miles north of downtown Denver and adjacent to Interstate 25, provides high visibility for business while still allowing easy access to various transportation routes. The city's location also provides an excellent environment for cultural, recreational, and outdoor enthusiasts. Thornton offers easy access to the 28 major resort areas found in the nearby Rocky Mountains, which offers skiing, hiking, rafting, and camping, as well as beautiful and breathtaking scenic wonders... most are well within a two hour drive. Cultural activities, including numerous museums, gardens, the opera and symphony, are readily available in Denver and other nearby communities such as Boulder, Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley and Arvada. Professional sports teams, including the Denver Broncos, Colorado Rockies, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Rapids and the Denver Nuggets offer activities for the sports enthusiast. There are nine major universities and colleges located within a 45-mile radius of the community, as well as numerous smaller institutions of higher learning. The larger institutions include the Universities of Colorado at Boulder and Denver, University of Denver, Metropolitan State College, University of Northern Colorado, Colorado State University, Colorado School of Mines, Regis University, and Colorado Christian University. Thornton is served primarily by two school districts encompassing four high schools, five middle schools and fourteen elementary schools. Thornton has aggressively pursued recreation programs with nearly 1,000 acres of land developed or designated for public parks. The numerous lighted tennis courts, athletic fields, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, recreation centers and gymnasiums offer recreation opportunities for people of all ages and activity levels.​ Thornton's location provides an ideal environment for business, recreation, and residences.