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Living in
Brighton.
Brighton is an unincorporated community in Monroe County, NY. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Brighton
Living in Brighton means joining a well-educated, stable community where most people have college degrees and steady employment—the 3.7% unemployment rate reflects a solid local job market. Your commute is likely to be reasonable at around 17 minutes on average, which helps with work-life balance. Housing costs are moderate for the region, with median home values around $282,000 and rent averaging $1,350 monthly, though you should factor in upstate New York's property taxes.
Brighton at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.9%
Foreign-Born
14.0%
Broadband Internet
91.5%
of households
Population Growth
+1.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics14.0% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Brighton: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Brighton, the largest foreign-born group is from India (18.3%), and 3.6% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
18.9%
of residents
65 and Older
20.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
34.9%
of households
Married Couples
44.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.16
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 17% below NY average
Rent, home values, and income in Brighton
In Brighton, rent runs 17% below the NY average, and home values are 33% below the NY average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
48.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
97.0
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$7,428
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
56.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1960
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.0%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below NY average
Unemployment in Brighton and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Monroe County, which includes Brighton, is 0.5 percentage points lower than the NY average.
Unemployment rate
Brighton: Monroe County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Monroe County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Brighton is about 5% of Monroe County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Brighton Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Rochester, NY metro area
Commute16.9 min avg
How Brighton residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Brighton, most residents drive alone to work (67%), and 90% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 5 mi
Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC)
Small hub1.4M passengers boarded in 2025
- 60 mi
Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF)
Medium hub2.5M 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 78% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Brighton runs 78% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
74
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,976.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Brighton Town Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 13 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
93.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Monroe County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Monroe County, which includes Brighton, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 13 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $20,000 |
| 2024 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $46,500 |
| 2023 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $28,500 |
| 2022 | 7 | Winter Storm | $213,000 |
| 2021 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $222,500 |
| 2020 | 21 | Frost/Freeze | $240,000 |
| 2019 | 21 | High Wind | $6.3M |
| 2018 | 15 | Winter Storm | $196,500 |
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.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Monroe County, county-wide
Brighton is about 5% of Monroe County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Monroe County, which includes Brighton, is typically good — 271 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
271
per year
Moderate Days
87
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Monroe County, county-wide
Brighton is about 5% of Monroe County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate80°F summers, 21°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Brighton has warm summers (avg high 80°F) and cold winters (avg low 21°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
57°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
61°/44°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
36°/21°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
35.1"
Annual Snowfall
102.0"
Hot Days/Year
8
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
129
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
168
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 19°F | 2.55" |
| Feb | 35°F | 20°F | 2.13" |
| Mar | 44°F | 27°F | 2.49" |
| Apr | 57°F | 37°F | 2.99" |
| May | 69°F | 48°F | 2.86" |
| Jun | 78°F | 57°F | 3.37" |
| Jul | 83°F | 62°F | 3.56" |
| Aug | 81°F | 61°F | 3.31" |
| Sep | 74°F | 54°F | 3.18" |
| Oct | 61°F | 43°F | 3.22" |
| Nov | 49°F | 34°F | 2.76" |
| Dec | 39°F | 25°F | 2.67" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Brighton
Uninsured
2.8%
of residents
No hospitals inside Brighton's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Highland Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.1 mi away · Rochester
Rochester Psychiatric Center
Psychiatric · ER available · 2.3 mi away · Rochester
Strong Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.8 mi away · Rochester
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.
Education11.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Brighton
Brighton's student/teacher ratio is 11.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 68.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
9
within city limits
College Degree Rate
68.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Brighton
Public · 2-year · 7,623 students · in-state tuition $6,348 · 29% graduate · median earnings $45,443 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 6,331 students · in-state tuition $70,306 · 88% graduate · median earnings $88,358 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Women's Rights National Historical Park, 41 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Brighton
Brighton has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Women's Rights National Historical Park (41 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Women's Rights National Historical Park
National Historical Park
41 mi awayHarriet Tubman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
53 mi awayTheodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
National Historic Site
68 mi awayPublic Libraries in Brighton
Brighton Memorial Library
2300 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester
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, New York affordable?⌄
Brighton's median rent is $1,350/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $85,467/year. Median home value is $282,100.
Is Brighton, New York safe?⌄
Brighton's violent crime rate was 74 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1977 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Brighton, New York?⌄
Monroe County, which includes Brighton, has an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Brighton, New York?⌄
The cost of living in Brighton is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,350/month and median household income is $85,467/year. The median home value is $282,100. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Brighton, New York?⌄
The average commute in Brighton is 17 minutes, which is shorter 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