Population 81,510 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Brighton
Household size in Brighton
| Period | Brighton | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.06 | 2.58 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.12 | 2.66 | 2.63 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.13 | 2.68 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.17 | 2.57 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.11 | −0.01 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
Brighton is a place of big households: 3.17 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Household size has climbed from 3.06 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Of the 133 Colorado cities with 5,000+ people, only four have larger households.
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 | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.9 | 36.7 | 36.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.5 | 37.3 | 37.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.0 | 38.0 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.2 | 38.5 | 39.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.4 | +1.8 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Brighton is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 36.2, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 32.9 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the northeast and oldest in the center.
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 | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.1% | 10.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 11.0% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 9.8% | 9.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.9% | 9.6% | 9.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Brighton (9.9%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of the Denver area. Compared with other Colorado cities, though, Brighton has a higher share of single-parent households than most.
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 | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.0% | 33.5% | 32.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.6% | 36.4% | 35.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.1% | 36.1% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 19.5% | 35.9% | 33.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 19.5% 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 owners, 23.2% have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the north; owners are most common in the south.
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 | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 8.5% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.4% | 6.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.6% | 5.5% | 8.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.3% | 6.0% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −2.5 pts | −3.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 3.3% of homes in Brighton are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.8 points, in line with the national trend. Brighton has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Colorado cities.
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 | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1993 | 1980 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1995 | 1981 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1998 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2002 | 1987 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Brighton has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 2002, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1993 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the north.
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 | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,136 | $1,128 | $1,051 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,331 | $1,245 | $1,165 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,830 | $1,606 | $1,450 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,228 | $2,181 | $1,963 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,093 | +$1,053 | +$912 | +$606 |
Rent in Brighton runs $2,228 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,093 a month since 2006–10, up 96%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 33.7% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the west and lowest in the north.
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 | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.4% | 38.1% | 36.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 30.7% | 40.0% | 37.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.8% | 43.5% | 40.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.5% | 49.1% | 45.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | +11.0 pts | +9.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in Brighton (33.5%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the Denver area overall (49.1%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 3.1 points, in line with the national trend.
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 | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.7% | 88.8% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.5% | 89.8% | 90.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.6% | 91.1% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.9% | 92.1% | 92.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Brighton is a bit above the national rate: 90.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across the Denver area. The share with a diploma has edged up 1.2 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than 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 | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 6.8% | 6.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.4% | 7.5% | 7.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.3% | 3.7% | 4.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 4.4% | 4.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Brighton than nationally: unemployment was 4.1%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 1.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 | 3.17 | 36.2 | 9.9% | 19.5% | 3.3% | 2002 | $2,228 | 33.5% | 90.9% | 4.1% |
| Todd Creek | 3.17 | 43.3 | 9.2% | 6.0% | 3.2% | 2000 | $2,354 | 40.1% | 89.9% | 4.2% |
| Henderson | 2.84 | 35.3 | 13.5% | 21.0% | 2.8% | 2003 | $2,290 | 26.8% | 89.9% | 2.7% |
| Wattenberg | 2.52 | 44.9 | 7.5% | 12.3% | 5.8% | 1971 | $1,472 | 34.5% | 88.2% | 1.1% |
| Commerce City | 3.05 | 35.4 | 12.7% | 21.9% | 4.3% | 2001 | $2,671 | 29.6% | 88.1% | 5.0% |
| Thornton | 2.99 | 34.7 | 14.7% | 28.8% | 4.6% | 1990 | $2,050 | 28.7% | 83.5% | 4.7% |
| Northglenn | 2.72 | 36.1 | 10.0% | 40.3% | 4.3% | 1984 | $1,993 | 29.2% | 89.6% | 3.3% |
| Lochbuie | 3.05 | 36.2 | 5.8% | 6.7% | 4.0% | 2005 | $2,899 | 20.5% | 82.2% | 2.6% |
| Dacono | 2.91 | 34.9 | 4.2% | 14.9% | 5.2% | 1999 | $1,942 | 29.0% | 86.3% | 3.0% |
| Fort Lupton | 3.03 | 36.4 | 10.4% | 26.8% | 2.8% | 1984 | $1,374 | 16.8% | 81.7% | 7.0% |
| Derby | 3.43 | 32.8 | 17.0% | 27.4% | 4.7% | 1962 | $1,670 | 15.3% | 63.9% | 4.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Tallahassee, FL · Troy, MI · Tampa, FL · Temple, TX · Trenton, NJ · Tempe, AZ · Town 'n' Country, FL · Suwanee, GA · Sumter, SC · St. George, UT
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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