Moving to
New Brighton.

All New Brighton data Compare New Brighton

22,710people live here $88,521median household incomeNear US average $1,397median rent per monthNear US average $364,700median home valueNear US average

What it's like to live in New Brighton

New Brighton is a small city in Minnesota with crime rates well below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, a highly educated workforce, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.

The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. New Brighton deals with a population that has been shrinking, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, cold, harsh winters, and snowy winters.

The good

Low crime rates
Short commutes
Highly educated workforce
Average class sizes

The not so good

Shrinking population
High rent burden for renters
Cold, harsh winters
Snowy winters — 40" per year

How New Brighton compares

Median household income

New Brighton$88,521

Minnesota avg$89,062

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

New Brighton$1,397

Minnesota avg$1,280

US$1,413

Median home value

New Brighton$364,700

Minnesota avg$329,300

US$332,700

What it takes to move to New Brighton

Based on New Brighton's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$2,794

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $55,880 a year
53% of New Brighton renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$72,940

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $36,470
Homes cost 4.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of livingNear US average

$1,397/mo median rent

Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,397 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $364,700. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.

Median home value $364,700 · 53% of renters cost-burdened

Job market

3.8% county unemployment

Unemployment in Ramsey County is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.

Ramsey County (county-wide)

Safety▼ 64% below US

117 violent crimes per 100k

Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.

Property crime 996/100k · New Brighton Police Department · 2025 data

Getting around▼ 23% below US

20 min average commute

Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 20% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

66%

Work from home

20%

Carpool

9.3%

Other

2.5%

Walk

1.7%

Public transit

0.6%

Climate

Summers are comfortable, with highs around 79°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 9°F.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Education & workforce▲ 34% above US

48% bachelor's degree or higher

The population is well-educated, with 48% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.

Schools

9 public schools inside the boundary

There are 9 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.

Parks & recreation

The nearest national park or historic site is Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (10 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

New Brighton's strongest points are crime rates well below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are a population that has been shrinking and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin. A year of median rent ($1,397/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (20% of workers here already work from home), and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.

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