Map of Jersey County highlighting, 2008
Brighton’s story
189 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2008.
- 1837Brighton is settled
BrightonIL
Louis metro’s $80K median household income.
Population
2,162
2025 Census estimate · −2.6% since 2020
Typical home
$217K
+5.6% in a year
Household income
$80K
median
Median age
37.7
years
Jobs based here
264
A commuter town
Is Brighton a good place to live?
The best of Brighton’s subject grades is an A for cost of living. Only 91 of Illinois’ 1,284 towns score higher on cost of living. Brighton is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 73% of U.S. towns. No town among the 358 in Illinois we compare has a lower property crime rate than Brighton. Brighton has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
StrongestACost of living
What makes Brighton stand out
Where Brighton beats most towns.
Typical home value
Brighton$217K
Illinois$296K
Cost of livingA
2.7 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 95% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
WalkabilityB+
More walkable than 73% of U.S. towns
9.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
0historic places
History
Settled in 1837
A long history
A history going back 189 years.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Brighton for work
Where Brighton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
264jobs based in Brighton
2%of working residents work in town
22 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Brighton grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Brighton is from typical.
Cost of livingAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.5 of 20; 6.1% of households have no carB+Open →Jobs & income264 jobs based hereB+Open →HealthAlton Memorial Hospital 10 miles awayBOpen →SchoolsBeat 57% of Illinois districts on tests and graduationBOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 46% of U.S. communities; earthquakes tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors3% conserved landC+Open →History2 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life3 library visits per resident; 2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 37.7; 23% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades 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.
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBrighton water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Brighton’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Illinois you can register online until 16 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereMacoupin County ClerkMacoupin County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6201262012 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Brighton.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
With 0.3 jobs for every working resident, most of Brighton’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Brighton for work: only 2% work in town. Brighton’s average trip to work is 33 minutes, above both Illinois’ towns (26 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). The top destinations are Alton (11%), St.
2%work in town
| Brighton | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 33 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.5% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Brighton2%
Alton11%
St. Louis6%
Edwardsville4%
Godfrey4%
22 mi
median commute distance
264
jobs based in Brighton
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 73% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade A
Homes in Brighton are worth about $217K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Brighton home is worth about $217,000, up 5.6% in a year, 27% below the Illinois typical home. Brighton’s median rent is $815 a month, where Illinois’ towns sit at $1,129 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month. 83% of Brighton households own their home.
$217KZillow home value
| Brighton | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $815 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 83% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Brighton$217K
Illinois$296K
+5.6%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Brighton has four seasons and pleasant summers
Brighton has chilly winters and warm summers. Brighton’s July high is 87°F.
17″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter25–41°
Spring45–65°
Summer66–86°
Fall46–67°
Nov 5
typical first frost
Apr 4
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB
Brighton is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns
Brighton beats the Illinois average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 19% of adults binge drink in Brighton.
64%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Brighton | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 35% | 36% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 13% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 23% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
5 better25 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Brighton | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11.5% | 15.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.5% | 7.6% |
Alton Memorial Hospital
10 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Safety
Crime reported in Brighton
Brighton's reported crime rate is well below Illinois's. The violent crime rate in Brighton is 0 per 1,000 residents.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Brighton0
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Brighton0
Illinois15.6
U.S.15.5
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
0
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Moderate risk in Brighton, with earthquakes at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 54% of U.S. communities.
46risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland floodingCold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
3.2%conserved
3.2%
conserved · 41 of 1,248 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Betsy Ann Park | — | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 65 attractions →Cahokia and 51 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Brighton. Close and well known come first.
Big draw27 mi State parkCahokia
Big draw28 mi Stadium & arenaThe Dome at America's Center
10 mi Ancient sitePiasa
29 mi Stadium & arenaBusch Stadium
29 mi National ParkGateway Arch National Park2.2M visitors a year
27 mi LandmarkMonks MoundSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Cahokia: Thank You (24 Millions ) views, CC BY 2.0 · The Dome at America's Center: Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0 · Piasa: Burfalcy, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Busch Stadium: Lee Ann Ratledge, CC BY 4.0 · Gateway Arch National Park: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Monks Mound: Skubasteve834, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Brighton
20pages on Brighton
The big questions
SchoolsBBeat 57% of IL districtsSafety0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthBBetter than IL on 5 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA$217K typical home · up 5.6% in a yearWork & commuteB+$80K median household income · 264 jobs hereNatural hazardsB−FEMA risk higher than 46% of U.S. communities · earthquakes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Brighton
Lewis and Clark Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Godfrey6.8 mi$4,340 in-state tuitionPrincipia CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Elsah13 mi$34,680 tuition
About 2 of every 100 Brighton residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
About Brighton
Village in Illinois, United States
Brighton is a village located mostly in Macoupin County and partially in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, the village had a population of 2,221.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 663 ft
- ZIP code
- 62012
Questions about Brighton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Brighton, IL expensive?
Not for the area. Louis, MO-IL metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
What is Brighton, IL known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Jason Isringhausen and Joe Bernard.