Population 2,781 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Brighton
Household size in Brighton
| Period | Brighton | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.46 | 2.56 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.65 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.41 | 2.59 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.66 | 2.57 | 2.56 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.21 | +0.01 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Brighton average 2.66 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in the Birmingham area overall, where it has 2.57 people. Household size has climbed from 2.46 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Brighton
| Period | Brighton | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.5 | 37.9 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.3 | 39.1 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.9 | 39.9 | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.0 | 40.0 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.4 | +2.1 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Brighton is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 38.0, against 40.1 nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Brighton
| Period | Brighton | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.8% | 12.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.3% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.4% | 11.2% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.6% | 12.0% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.2 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in six households in Brighton (15.6%), well above the national share of 11.6%.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Brighton
Renters in Brighton
| Period | Brighton | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.7% | 27.9% | 28.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 43.4% | 30.4% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.4% | 30.6% | 31.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.4% | 29.2% | 29.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −20.3 pts | +1.3 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 23.4% of households in Brighton rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 56.3% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Brighton
| Period | Brighton | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.7% | 12.5% | 14.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.6% | 12.8% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 24.5% | 13.6% | 15.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.8% | 11.6% | 13.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Brighton: 18.8% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Brighton
| Period | Brighton | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1979 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1981 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1960 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1984 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Brighton is a place of older homes: half were built before 1963, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Brighton
| Period | Brighton | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $737 | $827 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $682 | $903 | $785 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $714 | $984 | $858 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $772 | $1,238 | $1,091 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$35 | +$412 | +$375 | +$606 |
The median renter in Brighton pays $772 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 39.9% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Brighton
Bachelor's degrees in Brighton
| Period | Brighton | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 28.3% | 23.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.6% | 29.1% | 24.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.6% | 31.1% | 26.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 34.7% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +6.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Brighton: 10.7% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Brighton
| Period | Brighton | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.0% | 85.7% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 79.6% | 86.8% | 84.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.6% | 88.9% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 75.7% | 90.5% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | −5.4 pts | +4.9 pts | +6.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About a quarter of adults in Brighton never finished high school, well above the national share: only 75.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Brighton
| Period | Brighton | Birmingham area | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.7% | 8.0% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 18.4% | 9.2% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.0% | 5.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.8% | 4.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | −3.6 pts | −3.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Brighton: 15.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Brighton compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton | 2.66 | 38.0 | 15.6% | 23.4% | 18.8% | 1963 | $772 | 10.7% | 75.7% | 15.8% |
| Lipscomb | 2.79 | 34.7 | 30.3% | 32.8% | 26.1% | 1961 | $1,132 | 6.3% | 72.5% | 4.7% |
| Midfield | 2.39 | 41.1 | 20.8% | 30.9% | 15.4% | 1960 | $1,101 | 20.3% | 90.9% | 9.5% |
| Dolomite | 2.66 | 45.7 | 18.9% | 19.4% | 25.5% | 1963 | $1,296 | 20.2% | 89.8% | 7.1% |
| Fairfield | 2.53 | 34.8 | 31.4% | 43.5% | 19.9% | 1961 | $1,041 | 20.5% | 91.9% | 4.7% |
| Hueytown | 2.90 | 39.3 | 20.8% | 17.4% | 13.0% | 1974 | $1,376 | 19.6% | 89.9% | 6.9% |
| Pleasant Grove | 2.72 | 41.0 | 18.1% | 20.8% | 10.0% | 1985 | $1,498 | 22.3% | 94.0% | 2.6% |
| Bessemer | 2.53 | 40.5 | 15.9% | 34.0% | 12.4% | 1978 | $1,226 | 24.3% | 87.9% | 5.3% |
| McDonald Chapel | 2.88 | 33.1 | 19.1% | 48.7% | 39.3% | 1960 | $1,066 | 12.0% | 89.5% | 28.9% |
| Sylvan Springs | 2.52 | 43.3 | 2.6% | 15.5% | 7.1% | 1980 | $1,242 | 17.5% | 91.0% | 2.8% |
| Homewood | 2.52 | 32.1 | 8.2% | 37.7% | 12.9% | 1966 | $1,597 | 68.5% | 95.0% | 2.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Rockbridge, OH · Wister, OK · Astor, FL · Bassfield, MS · Coal Creek, CO · Clear Lake, WI · Central Lake, MI · New Miami, OH · Puxico, MO · Princeville, IL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Brighton. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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