What are the schools like in Brightwood, VA?

School district data for Brightwood is sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

What is the median household income in Brightwood?

The median household income in Brightwood, VA is $85,735 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 3.0%.

What is the weather like in Brightwood, VA?

Brightwood has an average high temperature of 43.5°F in January and 85.9°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 45.0 inches and annual snowfall averages 15.5 inches.

Brightwood, VA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Brightwood, VA affordable or expensive?

Brightwood's cost of living index is 109, where 100 represents the national average. This means Brightwood is 9% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $321,800 and the median rent is $1,727 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Brightwood, VA?

Brightwood has a violent crime rate of 37.7 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 663.6 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Brightwood, VA a Good Place to Live?

Brightwood is a small town of 1,775 in Virginia, with a median household income of $85,735 and a 3.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.

Strengths: Brightwood's profile is close to national averages across most measures.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes. Whether Brightwood is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Brightwood 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: 108.6

Brightwood's overall cost of living index is 108.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Brightwood costs roughly 9% more than the average American city.

Metric	Brightwood, VA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$321,800	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,727	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	89.7%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$85,735	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Brightwood's violent crime rate is 37.7 per 100,000 residents — 90% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

37.7 /100k

Property Crime

663.6 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Metric	Brightwood, VA	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	18.2%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	83.1%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Brightwood sees average highs of 43.5°F in January and 85.9°F in July, with 45.0 inches of annual precipitation and 15.5 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Brightwood, VA
Average High — January	43.5°F
Average High — July	85.9°F
Annual Precipitation	45.0"
Annual Snowfall	15.5"

Demographics

Metric	Brightwood, VA	National Avg
Population	1,775	—
Median Age	36.9	38.9
Unemployment Rate	3.0%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	35.0 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	93.0%	59.3%
Black or African American	0.2%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	0.0%	18.9%
Asian	0.2%	6.3%
Under 18	23.0%	22.2%
65 and over	18.4%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Madison, VA 5 mi Culpeper, VA 11 mi Orange, VA 12 mi Stanardsville, VA 16 mi Ruckersville, VA 17 mi

ZIP Codes in Brightwood

Brightwood, VA is covered by 2 ZIP codes:

22715 22735

Brightwood vs Other Cities

Brightwood, VA vs Madison, VA Brightwood, VA vs Culpeper, VA Brightwood, VA vs Orange, VA Brightwood, VA vs Stanardsville, VA Brightwood, VA vs Ruckersville, VA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Brightwood, VA affordable or expensive?

Brightwood's cost of living index is 109, where 100 is the national average. That puts Brightwood roughly 9% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $321,800 and median rent is $1,727/month.

What is the crime rate in Brightwood, VA?

Brightwood's violent crime rate is 37.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 663.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Brightwood?

School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.

Is Brightwood, VA a good place to live?

Brightwood, VA has a population of 1,775, a median household income of $85,735, and an unemployment rate of 3.0%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Brightwood?

Brightwood averages 43.5°F in January and 85.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 45.0 inches with about 15.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Brightwood?

Brightwood, VA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 22715, 22735.

What is the population of Brightwood?

The population of Brightwood, Virginia is 1,775 with a median age of 36.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Brightwood?

Key numbers for living in Brightwood: cost of living index 109 (100 = US average), median home $321,800, median household income $85,735, crime index 19 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Brightwood side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.