City profile · Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Brightwood, VA

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

1,436
Residents
$90,208
Median income
$300,000
Median home
$1,066
Median rent (state)

Brightwood - the verdict

Nationally, Brightwood sits in the 71st percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

71st
percentile, household income
65th
percentile, home value
26th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Brightwood, VA

1,436 people live in Brightwood, Virginia - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Brightwood households earn a median of $90,208 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 0.3%. Brightwood's housing stock carries a median value of $300,000, and the median resident age is 40.1 years. Educational attainment runs 21.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 61.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Virginia tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Virginia at 101.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,066 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Virginia's average monthly utility costs around $235 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 8.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

1,436 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Virginia

Median Household Income

$90,208 /yr

Poverty 0.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

101.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Virginia average

How does Brightwood compare to other US cities?

Where Brightwood sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 71% higher than other cities
Home value 65% pricier than other cities
Median rent 26% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Brightwood's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Virginia, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

71stIncome percentile

71st percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Brightwood's home value compares nationally

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

$300,000 35th percentile more affordable than 35% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $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. Brightwood $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 - Brightwood, VA Brightwood, VA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Brightwood, VA-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 Brightwood, VA median $90,208/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%
Brightwood, VA'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 Brightwood, VA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.0%

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

Population
1,436
Median Income
$90,208
Median Home Value
$300,000
Median Age
40.1
Poverty Rate
0.3%
Labor force participation
61.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.3%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
70.9%
Carpool
11.0%
Public Transit
2.3%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
15.8%

Based on 652 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$70
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$235
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Virginia 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 Virginia state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Brightwood sits in

Cost of Living Index
101.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,066/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
8.4 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Virginia

Benns Church
1,443 people
Wattsville
1,425 people
Bowling Green
1,455 people
Basye
1,416 people
Boswell's Corner
1,459 people
Union Hall
1,468 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Brightwood's 1,436 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Miami, AZ
1,436 people
Crested Butte, CO
1,436 people
Wisner, NE
1,436 people
Sandia Knolls, NM
1,436 people
Boston Heights, OH
1,436 people
Gordo, AL
1,435 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Brightwood's $90,208 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Riverbank, CA
$90,216 median income
Hot Sulphur Springs, CO
$90,221 median income
Sorrento, FL
$90,192 median income
Mount Pleasant, WI
$90,189 median income
Dennis, KS
$90,188 median income
Becker, MN
$90,188 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Brightwood, VA 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 Brightwood, VA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 95.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.8% White 95.3% Black or African American 0.3% Asian 0.3% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 4.0% 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 Brightwood compares to nearby Virginia cities

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

City Population Median Household Income
Brightwood (this city) 1,436 $90,208
Benns Church 1,443 $69,598
Wattsville 1,425 $66,677
Bowling Green 1,455 $69,352
Census ACS 5-year FIPS VA OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Brightwood, VA?

What is the population of Brightwood, VA? +

The population of Brightwood, VA stands at 1,436 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Brightwood, VA? +

Brightwood households earn a median of $90,208 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Brightwood? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Brightwood; the closest available measure is the Virginia state average, a cost of living index of 101.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Virginia vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Brightwood, VA? +

Homes in Brightwood carry a median value of $300,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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 Editorial

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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.