Thornton is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, and a south suburb of Chicago. The population was 2,386 at the 2020 census. Thornton is home to the Thornton Quarry, one of the largest quarries in the world.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Thornton ranks

All →

#42Lowest depression in IL #197Most walkable in IL #236Most conserved land in IL All IL rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code60476

Area code708

Living in Thornton

Housing in Thornton

$187K▲ 2.8% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Thornton home is worth about $187,000, up 2.8% in a year, 37% below the Illinois typical home.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Work & commute in Thornton

Full picture →

Most working residents leave Thornton for work: only 14% work in town. The top destinations are Chicago (32%), South Holland (4%) and Lansing (2%). Half commute less than 17 miles.

Chicago

32%

South Holland

Lansing

Harvey

14%Work in townlive and work in Thornton 17 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 47,737Jobs based herebalanced

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Thornton →

Health in Thornton

Health Grade C

Healthier than 32% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 53% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with Illinois

3better than IL·20worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 9 are too close to call.

Conditions 1▲ 7▼ 4 close Habits 1▲ 3▼ 0 close Care 1▲ 2▼ 4 close Mind 4▼ 1 close Everyday needs 4▼ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

5.9%Fewer adults who have had cancerIL 7.6% · better 15%Fewer binge drinkersIL 17.8% · better 15.9%More adults facing a utility shut-offIL 7.8% · worse

Care nearby

Ingalls Memorial HospitalHarvey · 3.1 mi · ER

South Holland Community Health CenterSouth Holland · 1 mi · sliding-scale fees

1 hospital · 3 health centers in Thornton →

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthNo shortage

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · ZIP codes 60473, 60409, 60426 · CMS · HRSAHealth in Thornton →

Natural hazards in Thornton

Very high

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 81% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🥶 Cold waves🌪️ Tornadoes

2,023Does Thornton flood?paid flood claims since 1978 NoneDisasters that paid out hereof 21 declared for Cook County MapThornton vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Thornton →

Climate in Thornton

Full climate →

Thornton has chilly winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 28 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

35° / 20°Winter

59° / 39°Spring

82° / 62°Summer

63° / 44°Fall

How much snow does Thornton get?About 28 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 20, with the last in spring around Apr 23.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.2° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Thornton →

Schools in Thornton

All Thornton schools →

C⁻

School Grade C-

The public schools Thornton’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 81% of Illinois’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.

See how Thornton’s schools compare in IL →

DistrictThornton Twp HSD 205Schools80

Lincoln Elem School CElementary · Grades PK–8 · 717 students Coolidge Elementary School C+Elementary · Grades K–5 · 670 students Hoover Elem School D-Elementary · Grades PK–5 · 571 students Oak Glen Elem School CElementary · Grades K–5 · 526 students Barack H Obama Learning Academy BElementary · Grades PK–8 · 466 students Caroline Sibley Elem School DElementary · Grades K–5 · 434 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within IL. Ratings are from neighbors.