© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Brighton.
About
Life in Brighton
Brighton has positioned itself as a working-class to middle-class suburb with real economic anchors—the Vestas manufacturing plants alone created 1,350 jobs in wind turbine production, which gives the city actual industry beyond just being a bedroom community. That said, you're looking at a 30-plus minute commute to Denver for most jobs, so this isn't a place where you're escaping the metro; you're choosing a more affordable slice of it. Housing costs have climbed significantly—median home prices are $499,500 and rent runs around $1,779 monthly—so while Brighton is cheaper than central Denver, you're not getting a bargain compared to the national average.
Brighton at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.4%
Foreign-Born
9.7%
Broadband Internet
94.3%
of households
Population Growth
+13.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics9.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Brighton: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Brighton, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (65.7%), and 19.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.8%
of residents
65 and Older
10.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
39.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
20.8%
of households
Married Couples
56.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.03
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for CO
Rent, home values, and income in Brighton
In Brighton, home values are 7% below the CO average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
53.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
19.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
105.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,228
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
71.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1999
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $488,163 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for CO
Unemployment in Brighton and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Brighton is close to the CO average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Brighton Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO metro area
Commute31.1 min avg
How Brighton residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Brighton, most residents drive alone to work (74%), and 47% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 11 mi
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Major hub40.0M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 51% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Brighton runs 51% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
496.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,390.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Brighton Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 22 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
91.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Adams County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Adams County, which includes Brighton, the most common type is winter weather, with 22 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | Winter Weather | $1,000 |
| 2024 | 32 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2023 | 29 | Hail | $1.1M |
| 2022 | 22 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2021 | 21 | Hail | None reported |
| 2020 | 22 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 23 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2018 | 16 | High Wind | $100,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Adams County, county-wide
Air Quality49 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Adams County, which includes Brighton, is typically good — 201 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
49
Good Days
201
per year
Moderate Days
163
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Adams County, county-wide
Climate87°F summers, 17°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Brighton has warm summers (avg high 87°F) and very cold winters (avg low 17°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
64°/35°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
87°/56°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
66°/36°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
45°/17°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
14.4"
Annual Snowfall
34.5"
Hot Days/Year
49
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
163
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
67
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 16°F | 0.42" |
| Feb | 46°F | 19°F | 0.43" |
| Mar | 56°F | 27°F | 0.98" |
| Apr | 63°F | 34°F | 1.77" |
| May | 72°F | 43°F | 2.35" |
| Jun | 84°F | 52°F | 1.41" |
| Jul | 90°F | 58°F | 1.72" |
| Aug | 88°F | 56°F | 1.77" |
| Sep | 80°F | 47°F | 1.18" |
| Oct | 66°F | 35°F | 1.02" |
| Nov | 53°F | 25°F | 0.69" |
| Dec | 44°F | 16°F | 0.37" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Brighton
Brighton has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
10.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Intermountain Health Platte Valley Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Centura Health-st Anthony North Health Campus
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.6 mi away · Westminster
West Pines Behavioral Hospital
Psychiatric · 11.6 mi away · Westminster
HCA Healthone Mountain Ridge
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.5 mi away · Thornton
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education18.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Brighton
Brighton's student/teacher ratio is 18.3:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 23.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
19
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
23.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Rocky Mountain National Park, 55 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Brighton
Brighton has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Rocky Mountain National Park (55 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Rocky Mountain National Park
National Park
55 mi awayFlorissant Fossil Beds National Monument
National Monument
78 mi awayPublic Libraries in Brighton
Brighton Branch Library
327 East Bridge Street, Brighton
Cities Near Brighton
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Brighton?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Brighton FAQ
Is Brighton, Colorado affordable?⌄
Brighton's median rent is $1,779/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $107,679/year. Median home value is $499,500.
Is Brighton, Colorado safe?⌄
Brighton's violent crime rate was 497 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2390 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Brighton, Colorado?⌄
Brighton has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Brighton, Colorado?⌄
The cost of living in Brighton is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,779/month and median household income is $107,679/year. The median home value is $499,500. About 53% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Brighton, Colorado?⌄
The average commute in Brighton is 31 minutes, which is longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from