Population 46,599 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Brighton
Household size in Brighton
| Period | Brighton | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.66 | 2.63 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.63 | 2.63 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.60 | 2.58 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.07 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Brighton average 2.59 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Household size has edged down from 2.66 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the north.
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 | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.4 | 39.0 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.6 | 40.1 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.8 | 40.9 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.5 | 41.0 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.1 | +2.1 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.5, Brighton is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 42.4, mirroring the country. Brighton is older than the great majority of Michigan cities.
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 | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 12.1% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.6% | 12.3% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 11.3% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 11.2% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.7% of households in Brighton, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 1.0 points, as it has nationally. Brighton has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Michigan cities.
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 | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.9% | 26.7% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 30.2% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.2% | 31.0% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 11.9% | 28.8% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 11.9% 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, 33.2% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the southwest. The renter share has fallen 2.0 points since 2006–10, 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 | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 11.3% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 11.2% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 10.0% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 8.3% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −3.1 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Brighton: 5.8% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.4 points, in line with the national trend.
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 | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1982 | 1968 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1969 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1969 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1987 | 1970 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +2 | +3 | +6 |
The housing in Brighton is younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1987, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1982 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Brighton has newer homes than the great majority of Michigan cities.
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 | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,012 | $952 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,113 | $1,005 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,138 | $1,123 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,337 | $1,373 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$326 | +$421 | +$395 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Brighton costs $1,337 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $326 a month since 2006–10, up 32%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 28.1% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable are in the southwest.
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 | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.6% | 27.8% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 42.1% | 28.8% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.2% | 31.1% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 51.2% | 34.5% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.7 pts | +6.7 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Brighton is highly educated: about half of adults 25 and older (51.2%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 11.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the southeast.
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 | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.7% | 87.7% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.5% | 88.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.7% | 89.8% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.5% | 90.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | +3.2 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Brighton: 97.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 2.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people, only 27 have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.7% | 12.7% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 12.8% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 6.8% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 6.7% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.9 pts | −5.9 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Brighton runs below the national rate: 3.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 4.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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 | 2.59 | 46.5 | 5.7% | 11.9% | 5.8% | 1987 | $1,337 | 51.2% | 97.5% | 3.8% |
| Pettysville | 2.66 | 40.6 | 4.5% | 1.0% | 5.4% | 1993 | $1,203 | 48.8% | 99.0% | 2.2% |
| Hamburg | 2.37 | 44.9 | 7.7% | 10.0% | 6.4% | 1986 | $1,138 | 46.4% | 98.4% | 2.9% |
| Whitmore Lake | 2.42 | 40.5 | 8.2% | 19.0% | 6.2% | 1986 | $1,422 | 40.3% | 96.5% | 2.9% |
| Lakeland | 2.38 | 48.2 | 8.7% | 12.2% | 6.9% | 1990 | $1,148 | 45.0% | 97.0% | 2.5% |
| New Hudson | 2.75 | 39.7 | 5.3% | 20.4% | 5.8% | 2000 | $2,053 | 55.3% | 96.4% | 3.2% |
| Hartland | 2.37 | 48.6 | 4.4% | 3.0% | 4.4% | 1985 | $1,338 | 33.4% | 97.1% | 1.8% |
| South Lyon | 2.80 | 42.8 | 5.9% | 9.9% | 4.7% | 1996 | $1,422 | 52.9% | 97.8% | 2.9% |
| Howell | 2.65 | 41.8 | 6.5% | 20.1% | 5.0% | 1992 | $1,500 | 37.4% | 95.4% | 4.1% |
| Milford | 2.72 | 43.3 | 5.5% | 12.8% | 4.2% | 1985 | $1,448 | 45.1% | 96.2% | 4.3% |
| Pinckney | 2.46 | 48.4 | 5.6% | 9.7% | 8.3% | 1988 | $1,157 | 38.3% | 97.5% | 2.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Northport, AL · Del Rio, TX · Duncanville, TX · Taylors, SC · Pittsfield, MA · Georgetown, KY · Valrico, FL · Painesville, OH · Owasso, OK · Opelika, AL
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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