Population 5,492 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Brighton: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Brighton
Household size in Brighton
| Period | Brighton | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.60 | 2.52 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.69 | 2.53 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.52 | 2.49 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.70 | 2.46 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | −0.06 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Brighton average 2.70 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in the St. Louis area as a whole, where it has 2.46 people. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.60, even as the national average fell.
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 | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.6 | 38.5 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.6 | 39.5 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.3 | 40.7 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.7 | 40.8 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.1 | +2.3 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Brighton skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.7, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 41.6, mirroring the country.
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 | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 11.7% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.7% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 11.0% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 11.1% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.8% of households in Brighton, well below the national share of 11.6%. Compared with other Illinois cities, Brighton has a lower 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 | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.1% | 28.3% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 30.1% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.1% | 31.1% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 10.0% | 29.6% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | +1.4 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Brighton is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 10.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 36.3% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 2.1 points, even as the national share rose.
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 | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 9.6% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 10.1% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.7% | 10.1% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.9% | 8.8% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | −0.8 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 13.9% of the housing in Brighton, 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 6.4 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1972 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1972 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1973 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1975 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Brighton was built around 1980, the same vintage as the country's housing overall. Homes here are newer than in the wider St. Louis area, where the median home dates to 1975. The median year built has moved up from 1975 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the northeast has the oldest housing.
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 | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $602 | $825 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $701 | $920 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $722 | $1,010 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $922 | $1,239 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$320 | +$414 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in Brighton pays $922 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $320 a month since 2006–10, up 53%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 23.8% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.8% | 30.3% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.7% | 32.1% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.0% | 34.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.1% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.2 pts | +8.3 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Brighton: 24.1% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 9.2 points since 2006–10, 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 | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.1% | 88.8% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.7% | 90.5% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.7% | 92.1% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.2% | 93.6% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.1 pts | +4.8 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Brighton: 95.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 6.1 points, as it has 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 | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 7.7% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 8.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 4.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 4.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Brighton than nationally: unemployment was 4.1%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.1 points, as it has nationally. 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 | 2.70 | 42.7 | 6.8% | 10.0% | 13.9% | 1980 | $922 | 24.1% | 95.2% | 4.1% |
| Miles Station | 2.43 | 45.8 | 1.8% | 18.3% | 17.3% | 1975 | $1,036 | 20.7% | 95.9% | 3.2% |
| Piasa | 2.62 | 46.6 | 8.7% | 12.9% | 18.5% | 1975 | $864 | 28.5% | 93.8% | 1.6% |
| Woodburn | 2.70 | 41.1 | 2.6% | 18.4% | 14.4% | 1990 | $859 | 17.9% | 98.3% | 0.8% |
| Fosterburg | 2.90 | 38.6 | 11.5% | 2.8% | 5.0% | 1995 | $1,394 | 36.3% | 98.4% | 1.1% |
| Godfrey | 2.39 | 47.9 | 7.6% | 17.3% | 7.2% | 1976 | $1,147 | 31.6% | 95.1% | 4.2% |
| Fidelity | 2.92 | 42.6 | 3.5% | 4.3% | 37.3% | 1977 | $881 | 14.5% | 97.3% | 4.0% |
| Alton | 2.35 | 39.7 | 15.2% | 35.6% | 14.0% | 1954 | $1,007 | 23.5% | 92.3% | 5.5% |
| Cottage Hills | 2.57 | 37.1 | 19.2% | 30.7% | 10.6% | 1978 | $964 | 15.0% | 85.0% | 8.5% |
| Bunker Hill | 2.72 | 42.3 | 8.0% | 19.9% | 13.4% | 1971 | $875 | 16.3% | 94.6% | 3.5% |
| Dow | 2.76 | 40.6 | 4.5% | 21.5% | 20.9% | 1970 | $1,199 | 26.7% | 95.7% | 7.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Bristol, NH · Jarratt, VA · Tuskegee Institute, AL · Shelby, MI · Lochridge, TX · Holly Hill, SC · Vass, NC · Rye, NH · Myersville, MD · Sparta, 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.