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Thornton

A village of 1,940 people in Illinois

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Town hallWanted · be the first Main streetWanted · be the first The libraryWanted · be the first Add a photoStart the Thornton album

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Now in Thornton

What’s happening this week

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Around town

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Around town

The places and views that make it Thornton

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The Thornton album

0 of 12 shotsNeighbors document Thornton together

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Outdoors in Thornton

Parks & trails →

Conserved land1.5%23 of 1,529 acres

Trails0.0 mi0 mi per sq mi

Parks & preserves212 conserved acres per 1,000 residents

#307Most trails in IL

1Wampum Lake2 acres

2Thornton-Lansing Road Nature Preserve1 acres

Know a trail or park that’s missing? Anyone can add it to OpenStreetMap, and it shows up here on the next refresh.

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

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Know Thornton

The town at a glance, and the guide to how things work

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How Thornton ranks

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

Town numbers

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Living in Thornton

Housing in Thornton

$165K Median sale price · Redfin, May 2026

The median sale price was $165,000 in May 2026.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Thornton

C

Safety Grade C

Thornton reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 69% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Thornton 2.2

Illinois 2.6

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Thornton 20.6

Illinois 15.6

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Thornton

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Most working residents leave Thornton for work: only 4% work in town. The top destinations are Chicago (25%), South Holland (5%) and Homewood (4%). Half commute less than 15 miles.

Chicago

25%

South Holland

5%

Homewood

4%

Harvey

2%

4%Work in townlive and work in Thornton 15 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 1,274Jobs based herebalanced

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Thornton →

Health in Thornton

A⁻

Health Grade A−

Healthier than 80% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 98% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with Illinois

1better than IL·1worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 30 are too close to call.

Conditions 1▼ 11 close Habits all close Care 1▲ 6 close Mind all close Everyday needs all close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

90%More adults getting cholesterol checkedIL 87.4% · better 8.5%More adults who have had cancerIL 7.6% · worse

Care nearby

Ingalls Memorial HospitalHarvey · 3 mi · ER

South Holland Community Health CenterSouth Holland · 1.9 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthNo shortage

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Thornton · CMS · HRSAHealth in Thornton →

Natural hazards in Thornton

Low

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 34% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🥶 Cold waves🌪️ Tornadoes

4Does Thornton flood?paid flood claims since 1980 9Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Thornton MapThornton vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

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

Climate in Thornton

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Thornton has chilly winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 28 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

35° / 20°Winter

60° / 39°Spring

82° / 62°Summer

63° / 43°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 →

Thornton’s library

Library details →

Thornton Public Library115 East Margaret Street

52 hrs a week

How busy is it?Quieter than mostvs. similar-size libraries, by visits per residentCompare →What’s on for kids?66 programsa year for ages 0–11Programs →Late fees?Yes, somelate fines on some itemsPerks →

IMLS Public Libraries Survey · FY2024Thornton Public Library →

Famous people from ThorntonWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Thornton.Meet them →

Where Thornton is

Explore map →

Locator map of Thornton — Wikimedia Commons · Map: Rcsprinter123 · CC BY 3.0

Location map

Illinois · ILTown boundary on OpenStreetMap →

How things work in Thornton

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Town hall & decisionsTrash, recycling & yard wasteUtilities & servicesStreets, parking & getting aroundSafety & preparednessSchools & learningParks, sports & recreationHealth & emergency care