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Elevation

Elevation of Thornton

5,347ft

above sea level · 1,630 m

Thornton is a city in Colorado with 147,766 people, the 6th most populous in the state. Of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people, it’s the 4th highest.

By the Mapsfera Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates
39.87° N · 104.97° W
In degrees, minutes and seconds: 39° 52′ 5″ N · 104° 58′ 19″ W
UTM coordinates
13S · 502,401 E · 4,413,112 N
Zone 13 · NAD83, the official US datum
County
Adams County
The city spans 2 counties; its reference point is in this one
State
Colorado
CO · capital: Denver
Time zone
Mountain Time
UTC−7 · UTC−6 in summer (daylight saving time)
Population (2025)
147,766 people
36.6 sq mi of land · 4,032 people/sq mi
Elevation model
USGS 3DEP, 1 m grid
Lidar from February 2021: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

Thornton had 147,766 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 4.2% more than in April 2020, when it had 141,869. Its 36.6 sq mi of land work out to 4,032 people/sq mi; the state average is 58 people/sq mi.

It’s the 6th most populous of the 482 places the Census counts in Colorado (cities, towns and CDPs), after Denver (740,613), and holds 2.5% of the state’s population.

The city spreads across 2 counties. By population: Adams County (147,766); no one lives in its part of Weld County. Its reference point, where we measure the elevation, is in Adams County.

Compared with US cities of 100,000 to 250,000

Thornton sits at 5,347 ft (1,630 m) above sea level. Of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people, the highest is Lakewood (5,520 ft) and the lowest is Fort Lauderdale (3 ft). The average is 862 ft: Thornton is 4,485 ft above it.

The state capital, Denver, is 8.9 mi away in a straight line and 71 ft lower than Thornton.

Of the 12 cities in Colorado with a page, Thornton is the 6th highest: the highest is Colorado Springs (6,009 ft) and the lowest is Greeley (4,674 ft).

The highest point in Colorado is Mount Elbert, at 14,433 ft according to the USGS: 9,086 ft above Thornton, 94 mi away in a straight line.

  1. 2 Westminster 5,382 ft
  2. 3 Arvada 5,349 ft
  3. 4 Thornton 5,347 ft
  4. 5 Boulder 5,319 ft
  5. 6 Rio Rancho 5,277 ft

Each color band is 500 m (1,640 ft), the same colors as the map. See the full list

Nearest cities with a page

Tools for this place

Elevation profile Draw a route from Thornton and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Thornton with any other point on the map. Map of Adams County The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Thornton and its clock changes. What county am I in? See which county, city and ZIP code you’re in, from your location. Blank map of Colorado counties Print it blank, with names or to color in.

Frequently asked questions

What people most often ask about the elevation of Thornton.

What is the elevation of Thornton?

Thornton is 5,347 feet (1,630 m) above sea level. That’s the ground height from the USGS 3DEP elevation model at the city’s reference point in the official gazetteer (GNIS). The city doesn’t have a single elevation: it rises and falls from one neighborhood to another.

What are the coordinates of Thornton?

Latitude 39.86804 and longitude -104.97192, in decimal degrees (39° 52′ 5″ N · 104° 58′ 19″ W). In UTM, zone 13: 502,401 E and 4,413,112 N, on NAD83.

How does Thornton rank among the highest US cities of its size?

It’s the 4th highest of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people. The highest is Lakewood (5,520 ft) and the lowest is Fort Lauderdale (3 ft).

What county is Thornton in?

Several: Adams County and Weld County. Most of its people live in Adams County.

Which is higher, Thornton or Denver?

Thornton. Thornton sits at 5,347 ft and Denver at 5,276 ft: a difference of 71 ft, 8.9 mi apart in a straight line.

How is elevation measured?

Elevation is the height above mean sea level. In the US the official reference is the NAVD88 vertical datum. Summits are surveyed on the ground, with leveling and precise GPS. The USGS 3DEP is an elevation model of the whole country, largely from 1-meter lidar: it gives the ground height at every point. That’s why it can differ by a few feet from the official figure of a sharp summit.

Sources

  • USGS 3DEP (EPQS service) The elevation: the ground height at the reference point. Public domain.
  • USGS GNIS (official gazetteer) The city’s reference point (“Populated Place”). Public domain.
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 estimates Population, land area (2025 Gazetteer) and counties. Public domain.
  • TIGERweb (U.S. Census Bureau) Which county and city the point falls in. Public domain.
  • timezone-boundary-builder The point’s time zone (ODbL, © OpenStreetMap contributors).
  • Terrain Tiles, OpenStreetMap and OpenFreeMap The relief shading and the base map (ODbL).

Methodology and sources · Spotted a mistake? Let us know