 About 5.0% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.1% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.Thornton is part of the West Fork Community School District, formed in 2011 by the merger of the Sheffield-Chapin-Meservey-Thornton (SCMT) Community School District and the Rockwell-Swaledale Community School District.Thornton became a part of the West Fork Schools whole grade-sharing partnership as of the 2008-2009 school year, prior to the formal district merger.