City profile · Colorado · Census ACS 2023

Brighton, CO

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Brighton - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

41,196
Residents
$100,134
Median income
$475,100
Median home
$2,089
Median rent (state)

Brighton - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Brighton places in the 78th percentile for household income and the 16th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

78th
percentile, household income
83rd
percentile, home value
85th
percentile, median rent
16th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Brighton, CO

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 41,196 residents in Brighton, a small city within Colorado. Median household income here is $100,134 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 5.5%. Typical homes in Brighton are valued around $475,100, and the median resident age is 34.4 years. Educational attainment runs 23.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 68.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 727 residential building permits were authorized in Brighton (Building Boom), up 66% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Brighton's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2990.9 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 50.6°F with 14.1 inches of precipitation per year and 34.5 inches of snowfall.

Colorado carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 103.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $2,089 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Colorado run around $202, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Brighton report an average commute of 27.5 minutes, with 74.9% driving alone and 10.3% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 95.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

41,196 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Colorado

Median Household Income

$100,134 /yr

Poverty 5.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

103.1 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Colorado average

How does Brighton compare to other US cities?

Brighton measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 78% higher than other cities
Home value 83% pricier than other cities
Median rent 85% pricier than other cities
Safety 16% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Colorado alone, Brighton ranks #82 of 116 Colorado cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Brighton against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Colorado only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Colorado-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher sits close to the middle of Colorado's city distribution

Among the 408 Colorado cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Brighton ranks #263 - the 35th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Brighton only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#120 of 379
68th percentile in Colorado
Median Gross Rent
#44 of 408
57th percentile in Colorado
Median Home Value
#150 of 388
61st percentile in Colorado
Poverty Rate
#185 of 408
55th percentile in Colorado
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#263 of 408
35th percentile in Colorado

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Colorado only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

78thIncome percentile
16thSafety percentile

78th percentile nationally for median household income · 16th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Brighton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Brighton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 37 Avg. percentile National median
Brighton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Brighton's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$475,100 17th percentile more affordable than 17% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Brighton $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Brighton, CO Brighton, CO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Brighton, CO-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Brighton, CO median $100,134/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Brighton, CO's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Brighton, CO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 23.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 68.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
41,196
Median Income
$100,134
Median Home Value
$475,100
Median Age
34.4
Poverty Rate
5.5%
Labor force participation
68.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
23.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2990.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
471.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2519.0
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
50.6°F
Annual Precipitation
14.1"
Annual Snowfall
34.5"

Schools

Total Schools
17
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
38,000 residents40,000 residents42,000 residents44,000 residents46,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 40,280 residents 45,395 residents ▲ +12.7%
Brighton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
727
housing units authorized
Single-Family
655
detached homes
Multifamily
72
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
17.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 437
2020 827
2021 374
2022 663
2023 398
2024 727

Permit volume increased 66% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
27.5 minutes
Drive Alone
74.9%
Carpool
11.7%
Public Transit
1.5%
Walk
0.2%
Work from Home
10.3%
Other
1.4%

Based on 21,107 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Colorado - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$90
avg/month
Natural Gas
$62
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$202
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Colorado state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Colorado state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Brighton sits in

Cost of Living Index
103.1
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,089/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
95.2 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Colorado

Security-Widefield
38,659 people
Northglenn
37,953 people
Littleton
45,092 people
Windsor
35,918 people
Pueblo West
34,992 people
Dakota Ridge
34,159 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Brighton's 41,196 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Woburn, MA
41,205 people
Hallandale Beach, FL
41,224 people
Florence, AL
41,231 people
Indian Trail, NC
41,146 people
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
41,259 people
Milton, GA
41,305 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Brighton's $100,134 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lambertville, MI
$100,134 median income
Lake St. Croix Beach, MN
$100,134 median income
Mackinac Island, MI
$100,125 median income
Belle Fontaine, AL
$100,144 median income
Camano, WA
$100,124 median income
Pacheco, CA
$100,152 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Brighton, CO Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Brighton, CO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 63.0% 10.3% 20.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 38.5% White 63.0% Black or African American 3.0% Asian 2.1% American Indian 1.5% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 10.3% Two or more races 20.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Brighton compares to nearby Colorado cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Brighton (this city) 41,196 $100,134
Security-Widefield 38,659 $83,916
Northglenn 37,953 $79,530
Littleton 45,092 $96,611
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CO FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Brighton, CO?

What is the population of Brighton, CO? +

The population of Brighton, CO stands at 41,196 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Brighton, CO? +

The median household income in Brighton is $100,134 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Brighton? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Brighton; the closest available measure is the Colorado state average, a cost of living index of 103.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Colorado vary by metro area.

Is Brighton, CO safe? +

Brighton has a total crime rate of 2990.9 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Brighton, CO? +

Homes in Brighton carry a median value of $475,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Brighton? +

Climate normals put Brighton's yearly average temperature at 50.6°F, 14.1 inches of precipitation, and 34.5 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.