On CDC estimates, Brighton is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns
Brighton differs from Alabama on 26 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 21 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Brighton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Brighton
Stroke, diabetes and heart disease run high in Brighton
1 in 14 adults have had a stroke (7.2%), vs 4.1% across Alabama. 1 in 4 adults have diabetes (25.6%), vs 14.8% across Alabama. Heart disease is also above the state: 9.6%, vs 7.3% across Alabama. In all, Brighton runs above Alabama on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Brighton
45.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 56.9% across Alabama. Among those 65 and older, 32.3% have lost all their teeth (Alabama 15.4%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Brighton
2 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (39.1%), about twice the Alabama rate. Utility shut-off threats (20.3% vs 9.6%) and housing insecurity (26.9% vs 13.9%) are higher too. 33.3% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Brighton is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Brighton is healthier than 5%. Against the 1,925 towns with similar household incomes ($29K–$48K), it’s healthier than 34%. Health Grade ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Alabama figure falls outside Brighton’s likely range.
What’s behind Brighton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brighton is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 33% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Brighton’s median household income is $38,221; among the 1,925 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($29K–$48K), it’s healthier than 34%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Brighton compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6% (U.S. 7.9%); binge drinking, 10.6% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 83.6% (U.S. 77.4%).
Out of every 100 Brighton adults…
Brighton runs below AL on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Brighton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alabama.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
33.3% of Brighton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14% across Alabama.
Care in and near Brighton
No hospital or community health center in Brighton itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Brighton; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Alabama
Share of adults, with the Alabama figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Brighton adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Brighton runs above Alabama.
2 in 5 Brighton adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Brighton and the towns around it
Brighton’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 4 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton | D | 47.4% | 25.6% | 19.3% | CDC place |
| Bessemer | D | 44.7% | 21.9% | 18.9% | CDC place |
| Midfield | D | 45% | 19.4% | 16.9% | CDC place |
| Birmingham | D | 42.2% | 19.2% | 16.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Brighton adults live with a disability (Alabama 36.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Brighton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Brighton is better than Alabama on 5 and worse on 21; on the rest, the Alabama figure falls inside Brighton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Brighton | AL | U.S. | vs AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 33.9%29.7–38.1 | 22.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%14.9–19.2 | 14.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18%15.9–20.1 | 17.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 47.4%42.6–52.2 | 39.4% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 25.6%22.9–28.2 | 14.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 55.9%52.5–59.1 | 43.3% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 43%39.5–46.4 | 40.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 34.2%31.3–37.2 | 30.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11%9.7–12.3 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6%5.3–6.7 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.6%8.4–10.8 | 7.3% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.4%8.7–12.1 | 8% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 7.2%6.3–8.2 | 4.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 32.3%27.5–37.1 | 15.4% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.3%16.1–22.4 | 15.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 42.1%37–46.8 | 28.7% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 10.6%8.8–12.5 | 14.1% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 45.5%41.1–49.9 | 39.1% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 16.2%13.3–19.5 | 9.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.6%81.1–86.1 | 80.4% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 45.3%41.3–49 | 56.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.4%84.5–88.4 | 85.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.5%80.5–84.5 | 78% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.4%65.4–73.2 | 67% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.4%77.3–86.8 | 77.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.6%17.1–22.3 | 23.3% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 41.5%37.3–45.8 | 35.4% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 31.3%27.4–35.2 | 24.8% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 39.1%34–44.5 | 19.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 26.9%23.4–30.6 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 20.3%17.6–23.1 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 18%15.6–20.6 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 33.3%28.3–38.3 | 14% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 46.7%42.1–51 | 36.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 27.7%24.4–31 | 17.1% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.3%16.7–21.9 | 16.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8%7–9 | 8.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 11.4%9.9–13 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 14.3%12.3–16.3 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 8.8%7.6–10.2 | 4.6% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Alabama figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Brighton
Is Brighton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brighton is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns: D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 34%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Brighton?
CDC estimates 47.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 42.6% and 52.2%, against 39.4% across Alabama and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Brighton?
Medical West, An Affiliate of UAB Health System in Bessemer, 5.0 miles in a straight line from Brighton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Brighton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 16.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.3–19.5%), against 9.9% across Alabama.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Brighton more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Brighton.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Alabama figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.