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Buying a home in Thornton, California

The typical owner-occupied home in Thornton is worth about $435,400, 41% below the California median of $734,700 and 31% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,786 a year in property taxes, about 0.64% of their home's value, lower than the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $73,333 a year, so the median home costs 5.9 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 60% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 82% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Thornton at a glance

Thornton California U.S.
Median home value $435,400 $734,700 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,786 $5,124 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.64% 0.70% 0.94%
Median household income $73,333 $99,122 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 60% 56% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 82% 67% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,871 $2,946 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 29.0% 24.8% 21.0%
Median rent $865 $2,036 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 29.9% 32.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1969 1976 1980
Vacant homes 7.2% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 817 39,287,377 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Thornton

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Thornton home of $435,400 with 20% down costs about $2,757 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,482, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $118,149 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 45% of the median Thornton household income of $73,333; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $270,000.

The median rent here is $865 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,892 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$87,080
Loan amount$348,320
Principal and interest$2,343
Property taxes (0.64% a year)$232
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$181
PMI$0
Total per month$2,757

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$15,239
Loan amount$427,514
Principal and interest$2,876
Property taxes (0.64% a year)$232
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$181
FHA mortgage insurance$193
Total per month$3,482

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Questions about home buying in Thornton

What is the median home value in Thornton?

About $435,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Thornton?

Homeowners pay a median $2,786 a year, which is about 0.64% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Thornton?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,757 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $118,149 a year.

More about Thornton

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data