Daly City CA vs Thornton CO — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Daly City, CA

California · Population: 102,560

  • Median HH Income$119,570
  • Median Home Price$1,134,511
  • Unemployment5.0%
  • Bachelor's+38.0%

Thornton, CO

Colorado · Population: 142,878

  • Median HH Income$100,985
  • Median Home Price$505,085
  • Unemployment4.6%
  • Bachelor's+32.2%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Daly City
102,560
Thornton
142,878
Thornton +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Daly City
N/A
Thornton
N/A
Median Age
Daly City
41.7
Thornton
34.3
Thornton +
Foreign Born
Daly City
50.9%
Daly City +
Thornton
14.5%
White
Daly City
16.4%
Thornton
63.5%
Thornton +
Black
Daly City
3.0%
Daly City +
Thornton
2.2%
Asian
Daly City
58.8%
Daly City +
Thornton
5.8%
Hispanic
Daly City
21.4%
Thornton
37.4%
Thornton +
Spanish at Home
Daly City
N/A
Thornton
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Daly City
$119,570
Daly City +
Thornton
$100,985
Per Capita Income
Daly City
$48,219
Daly City +
Thornton
$41,869
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Daly City
$77,230
Daly City +
Thornton
$76,653
Unemployment Rate
Daly City
5.0%
Thornton
4.6%
Thornton +
Poverty Rate
Daly City
7.2%
Daly City +
Thornton
7.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
Daly City
38.0%
Daly City +
Thornton
32.2%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Daly City
$1,134,511
Thornton
$505,085
Thornton +
Homeownership Rate
Daly City
60.5%
Thornton
73.1%
Thornton +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Daly City
503
Daly City +
Thornton
512
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Daly City
2388
Daly City +
Thornton
3234

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Daly City
20.0%
Daly City +
Thornton
31.8%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Daly City
12.0%
Thornton
8.8%
Thornton +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Daly City
13.3%
Daly City +
Thornton
17.0%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Daly City
7.9%
Daly City +
Thornton
15.2%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Daly City
12.5%
Daly City +
Thornton
17.4%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Daly City
8.7%
Daly City +
Thornton
12.6%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Daly City
N/A
Thornton
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Daly City
N/A
Thornton
N/A

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Daly City
7.9 µg/m³
Thornton
6.2 µg/m³
Thornton +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Daly City
75.0%
Thornton
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Daly City
31.9 min
Daly City +
Thornton
32.8 min

Which City is Right for You?

Daly City leads in median household income at $119,570, while thornton offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $505,085. On public safety, Daly City is safer with a violent crime rate of 503 per 100,000 residents, compared to 512 in Thornton. Thornton has a lower unemployment rate at 4.6%, and Thornton has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 6.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Daly City scores better with a lower obesity rate of 20.0%.

Compare More Cities

About Daly City & Thornton