Brighton iowa, 2009
Brighton’s story
186 years in pictures
The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1840Brighton is settled
BrightonIA
Photo: Bill Whittaker (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
589
2025 Census estimate · −1.8% since 2020
Typical home
$103K
+3.4% in a year
Household income
$50K
median
Median age
40.7
years
Jobs based here
61
A commuter town
Is Brighton a good place to live?
Brighton has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Brighton stand out
Where Brighton beats most towns.
Small town
589 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Brighton: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Brighton, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBrighton Municipal Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Brighton’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Iowa you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereWashington County AuditorWashington County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5254052540 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Brighton.
Housing
A typical Brighton home is worth about $103K
In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 3.4%. Brighton’s going rate for rent is $675 a month. 69% of Brighton households are owner-occupiers, where Iowa’s towns sit at 70% and U.S. towns at 73%.
$103KZillow home value
| Brighton | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $675 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 69% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Brighton$103K
Iowa$237K
+3.4%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in March
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
Brighton stands out in Iowa and nationally, with more of its residents who live below the poverty line
Among 141 Iowa towns, just 8 have a lower typical household income than Brighton. 1.2% of Brighton working residents work locally, below both the Iowa town median (31%) and the median of U.S. towns (8%). For Brighton, the mean commuting time is 29 minutes. Half the trips to work are shorter than 34 miles.
1%work in town
| Brighton | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 30% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.2% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $50,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Brighton1%
Iowa City14%
Washington9%
Kalona7%
Cedar Rapids6%
34 mi
median commute distance
61
jobs based in Brighton
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers: that is Brighton’s year
Expect July afternoons of 85° and January nights of 14°, with about 34 inches of snow a winter.
34″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–35°
Spring39–61°
Summer62–83°
Fall41–63°
Oct 11
typical first frost
Apr 28
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Brighton is
Among adults in Brighton, 37% have high blood pressure. The town tracks Iowa closely on all 32 CDC measures. In Brighton, 17% of adults smoke cigarettes, and 40% have obesity.
| Brighton | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 38% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 35% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Washington County Hospital and Clinics
10.5 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: moderate risk in Brighton, mostly inland flooding
Federal aid has come to Brighton households in 2 declared disasters; the latest was in 2008. FEMA expects less storm and flood damage here than in 54% of U.S. communities. 47% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by strong winds at 14%.
46risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingStrong windTornadoes
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Brighton
17pages on Brighton
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Brighton
About 2 of every 100 Brighton residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Brighton for work
Where Brighton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
61jobs based in Brighton
1%of working residents work in town
34 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Brighton
5 notable people were born in Brighton.
About Brighton
City in Iowa, United States
Brighton is a city in Washington County, Iowa, United States. It's part of the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 600 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 755 ft
- ZIP code
- 52540
Questions about Brighton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Brighton, IA a good place to live?
Brighton has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Brighton, IA known for?
5 notable people were born here, including William Ward Johnson and Francis W. Cushman.