ZIP 80241 · Thornton, CO

Four governments run on your community's money

From the state down to your schools: where each one's money comes from and goes.

Yearly budgets from each government's latest fiscal year on record. Tap one to jump to it.

Your state

State of Colorado

$48.1 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

State taxes42%Federal tax money36%Fees for services (college tuition, hospital bills)13%Fines and other8.1%Local tax money0.2%

What stands out

13%

of Colorado's money comes from fees for services such as water, sewer and parking.A typical state government gets 10%.

Full Colorado breakdown

State taxes42%

Individual income tax
17%$7.52 billion
Sales tax
10%$4.67 billion
Other taxes
9.6%$4.38 billion
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; motor fuel taxes and 13 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.61 billion
  • Motor fuel taxes$719 million
  • Insurance premium taxes$548 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$458 million
  • Tobacco taxes$332 million
  • Severance taxes$187 million
  • Amusement taxes$176 million
  • Hunting and fishing licenses$124 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$68.6 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$56.0 million
  • Driver's licenses$44.1 million
  • Corporation licenses$27.9 million
  • Public utility licenses$20.3 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$10.6 million
  • Amusement licenses$1.0 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Business income tax
5.7%$2.59 billion

Fees for services13%

Fees for services
13%$6.13 billion
What's in fees for servicesCollege tuition; hospital bills and 9 more
  • College tuition$2.98 billion
  • Hospital bills$1.63 billion
  • University housing and dining$807 million
  • Other service charges$305 million
  • Road charges$223 million
  • Tolls on roads and bridges$77.4 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$71.6 million
  • Parks and recreation$25.7 million
  • Other education charges$4.2 million
  • Garbage collection$3.8 million
  • Housing$402 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money36%

Grants from Washington, paid for by the federal taxes residents also pay.

From the federal government
36%$16.4 billion

Local tax money0.2%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From local governments
0.2%$94.6 million

Fines and other8.1%

Interest, rents and other
7.2%$3.29 billion
Fines
0.8%$380 million
Colorado page →

Where the money goes

Social services29%Sent to local governments22%Schools and colleges22%Health and hospitals7.5%Police, fire, courts and jails5.8%All other spending14%

What stands out

22%

of Colorado's spending goes to schools and colleges.A typical state government spends 15%.

Full Colorado breakdown

Spending by category100%

Social services
29%$13.7 billion
What's in social servicesOther public welfare; unemployment and social insurance offices and 2 more
  • Other public welfare$13.6 billion
  • Unemployment and social insurance offices$121 million
  • Welfare institutions$62.3 million
  • Veterans' services$4.2 million
Sent to local governments
22%$10.7 billion
What's in sent to local governmentsSent to school districts; sent to local governments: other public welfare and 21 more
  • Sent to school districts$7.25 billion
  • Sent to local governments: other public welfare$1.04 billion
  • Sent to local governments: roads and highways$745 million
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$441 million
  • Sent to local governments: general support$346 million
  • Sent to local governments: public health$255 million
  • Sent to local governments: other education$242 million
  • Sent to local governments: probation, parole and other corrections$172 million
  • Sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation$79.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: other government administration$43.6 million
  • Sent to local governments: airports$43.4 million
  • Sent to local governments: courts and legal services$37.8 million
  • Sent to local governments: parks and recreation$16.9 million
  • Sent to school districts (colleges)$10.2 million
  • Sent to the federal government$7.7 million
  • Sent to local governments: central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$4.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: police$4.5 million
  • Sent to local governments: finance, tax collection and budgeting$3.5 million
  • Sent to local governments: housing and community development$2.7 million
  • Sent to local governments: garbage and solid waste$2.5 million
  • Sent to local governments: libraries$1.6 million
  • Sent to local governments: inspections and regulation$1.0 million
  • Sent to local governments: hospitals$538 thousand
Schools and colleges
22%$10.5 billion
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; scholarships and other education subsidies and 2 more
  • Colleges and universities$7.14 billion
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$1.24 billion
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$1.15 billion
  • Other education$973 million
Health and hospitals
7.5%$3.60 billion
What's in health and hospitalsHospitals and public health
  • Hospitals$1.85 billion
  • Public health$1.75 billion
Police, fire, courts and jails
5.8%$2.78 billion
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsProbation, parole and other corrections; courts and legal services and 3 more
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$1.06 billion
  • Courts and legal services$956 million
  • Police$333 million
  • Inspections and regulation$218 million
  • Prisons and jails$209 million
Running the government and other costs
5.5%$2.66 billion
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$1.38 billion
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$868 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$264 million
  • Other government administration$132 million
  • Government buildings$22.0 million
Roads, transit and parking
3.7%$1.76 billion
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; toll roads and bridges and 2 more
  • Roads and highways$1.70 billion
  • Toll roads and bridges$63.7 million
  • Airports$2.5 million
  • Public transit$23 thousand
Interest on debt
2.4%$1.13 billion
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$1.13 billion
  • Interest on water supply debt$5.7 million
Environment and natural resources
1.2%$589 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$589 million
Housing and community development
0.9%$420 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.3%$159 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$150 million
  • Libraries$8.9 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
<0.1%$20.8 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Garbage and solid waste$11.8 million
  • Sewer systems$4.8 million
  • Water supply$4.3 million
Colorado page →

Your county

Adams County

$678 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended December 31, 2023.

Where the money comes from

County taxes51%State tax money29%Fees for services (parks and recreation, airport)8.1%Fines and other7.2%Federal tax money4.0%Local tax money0.2%
Full Adams County breakdown

What stands out

14%

of Adams County's money comes from sales tax.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people gets 2.7%.

County taxes51%

Property tax
37%$262 million
Sales tax
14%$98.0 million
Other taxes
0.5%$3.5 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses; other selective sales taxes and 1 more
  • Other licenses$2.8 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$664 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$27 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services8.1%

Fees for services
8.1%$57.2 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; parks and recreation and 3 more
  • Other service charges$42.0 million
  • Parks and recreation$6.0 million
  • Airport$4.0 million
  • Road charges$2.7 million
  • Sewer$2.4 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money4.0%

Grants from Washington, paid for by the federal taxes residents also pay.

From the federal government
4.0%$28.5 million

State tax money29%

Money the state passes on, paid for by the state taxes residents also pay.

From the state
29%$205 million

Local tax money0.2%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
0.2%$1.3 million

Fines and other7.2%

Interest, rents and other
7.2%$50.6 million
Fines
<0.1%$307 thousand
Adams County page →

Where the money goes

Running the government and other costs26%Social services24%Police, fire, courts and jails21%Roads, transit and parking16%Health and hospitals4.1%All other spending8.0%

What stands out

24%

of Adams County's spending goes to social services.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people spends 4.3%.

Full Adams County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
26%$180 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$79.7 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$70.5 million
  • Government buildings$16.1 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$13.5 million
Social services
24%$164 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$164 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
21%$142 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; police and 1 more
  • Prisons and jails$55.3 million
  • Police$52.3 million
  • Courts and legal services$34.7 million
Roads, transit and parking
16%$110 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$96.9 million
  • Airports$13.5 million
Health and hospitals
4.1%$28.0 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$28.0 million
Environment and natural resources
3.2%$21.6 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$21.6 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.9%$12.7 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$12.7 million
Sent to other local governments
1.6%$10.5 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$10.5 million
Interest on debt
0.9%$6.0 million
Housing and community development
0.3%$2.2 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
0.2%$1.2 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems and garbage and solid waste
  • Sewer systems$913 thousand
  • Garbage and solid waste$305 thousand
Adams County page →

Your city

City of Thornton

$355 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended December 31, 2023.

About 97% of this ZIP is in Thornton.

Where the money comes from

City taxes53%Fees for services (water, sewer)24%Fines and other15%County and local tax money3.9%State tax money2.5%Federal tax money2.2%
Full Thornton breakdown

What stands out

38%

of Thornton's money comes from sales tax.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 7.8%.

City taxes53%

Sales tax
38%$150 million
Property tax
8.2%$32.2 million
Other taxes
6.8%$26.7 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; other licenses and 4 more
  • Public utility taxes$10.9 million
  • Other licenses$8.8 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$5.7 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$1.3 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$31 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$7 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services24%

Fees for services
24%$92.9 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 3 more
  • Water$53.9 million
  • Sewer$18.9 million
  • Parks and recreation$8.6 million
  • Garbage collection$6.1 million
  • Other service charges$5.4 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money2.2%

Grants from Washington, paid for by the federal taxes residents also pay.

From the federal government
2.2%$8.6 million

State tax money2.5%

Money the state passes on, paid for by the state taxes residents also pay.

From the state
2.5%$9.7 million

County and local tax money3.9%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
3.9%$15.5 million

Fines and other15%

Interest, rents and other
15%$58.0 million
Fines
0.4%$1.5 million
Thornton page →

Where the money goes

Police, fire, courts and jails29%Water, sewer, trash and utilities28%Parks, recreation and libraries15%Running the government and other costs14%Roads, transit and parking9.1%All other spending4.2%

What stands out

15%

of Thornton's spending goes to parks, recreation and libraries.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 6.4%.

Full Thornton breakdown

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
29%$104 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$59.4 million
  • Fire protection$37.7 million
  • Courts and legal services$4.9 million
  • Inspections and regulation$2.5 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
28%$98.7 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Water supply$70.1 million
  • Sewer systems$21.4 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$7.2 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
15%$54.0 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$54.0 million
Running the government and other costs
14%$50.8 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); finance, tax collection and budgeting and 1 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$37.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$6.9 million
  • Government buildings$6.2 million
Roads, transit and parking
9.1%$32.1 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$32.1 million
Interest on debt
2.2%$7.7 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$4.0 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$3.7 million
Sent to other local governments
1.3%$4.4 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$4.4 million
Housing and community development
0.8%$2.7 million
Thornton page →

Your schools

Adams 12 Five Star Schools District

$608 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

State tax money51%School district taxes42%Fees for services (school tuition and transportation, school lunches)3.6%Fines and other2.4%Federal tax money1.2%County and local tax money0.1%
Full Adams 12 Five Star Schools District breakdown

What stands out

42%

of Adams 12 Five Star Schools District's money comes from property tax.A typical school district with 25,000+ students gets 33%.

School district taxes42%

Property tax
42%$284 million
Other taxes
0.2%$1.4 million
What's in other taxesOther taxes not classified elsewhere
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$1.4 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services3.6%

Fees for services
3.6%$24.7 million
What's in fees for servicesOther school charges; school tuition and transportation and 1 more
  • Other school charges$21.6 million
  • School tuition and transportation$2.1 million
  • School lunches$904 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.2%

Grants from Washington, paid for by the federal taxes residents also pay.

From the federal government
1.2%$8.0 million

State tax money51%

Money the state passes on, paid for by the state taxes residents also pay.

From the state
51%$343 million

County and local tax money0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.1%$936 thousand

Fines and other2.4%

Interest, rents and other
2.4%$16.2 million
Adams 12 Five Star Schools District page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges97%Interest on debt3.4%Sent to other local governments<0.1%
Full Adams 12 Five Star Schools District breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
97%$587 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$587 million
Interest on debt
3.4%$20.6 million
Sent to other local governments
<0.1%$513 thousand
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to the state government and sent to school districts
  • Sent to the state government$398 thousand
  • Sent to school districts$115 thousand
Adams 12 Five Star Schools District page →
Sources and moreEach government's source, fiscal year and how a ZIP is matched

State of Colorado. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024.

Adams County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

Adams 12 Five Star Schools District. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024.

City of Thornton. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

How a ZIP is matched. A ZIP code is not a government boundary, so we match it to the cities, counties and school districts that overlap it, using Census Bureau geography. Where a ZIP crosses several, each one is shown with its share of the ZIP. Each government's money covers its own operations only; the others listed here are separate.

Latest recorded year. The year differs by government: each block shows the newest fiscal year on file. A Census survey year covers fiscal years ending July 1 of the year before through June 30 of that year.