Brighton iowa · Bill Whittaker (talk) / CC BY-SA 3.0FI0013510 · Michael Lemberger/FortepanIowa / CC BY-SA 4.0BrightonIowaPopPlot · PopePompus / CC BY-SA 4.0
Brighton is a small town of 711 in Iowa, with a median household income of $52,292
and a 13.8% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 92 (US average = 100), which is
8% below the national average.
Strengths:
Brighton stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Brighton is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Brighton city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 91.8
Brighton's overall cost of living index is 91.8,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Brighton costs roughly 8% less than the average American city.
Metric
Brighton, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$86,900
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$686
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
71.2%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$52,292
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Brighton's violent crime rate is 259.5 per 100,000 residents
— 32% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
259.5 /100k
Property Crime
1028.9 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Brighton, IA
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
8.3%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
81.0%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Brighton sees average highs of 30.2°F in January
and 85.0°F in July,
with 38.3 inches of annual precipitation
and 34.1 inches of snow per year.
Brighton's cost of living index is 92, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Brighton roughly 8% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $86,900 and median rent is $686/month.
Brighton's violent crime rate is 259.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1028.9 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Brighton, IA has a population of 711, a median household income of $52,292, and an unemployment rate of 13.8%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Brighton averages 30.2°F in January and 85.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 38.3 inches
with about 34.1 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Brighton, Iowa is 711 with a median age of 37.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Brighton: cost of living index 92 (100 = US average), median home $86,900, median household income $52,292, crime index 61 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Brighton side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
