Brighton, CO

Census place 0808675 · pop 42,059

D−37/ 100
🫤 Rough
F
in CO
📍 Colorado ranks #36 of 50 states →
🏆 Income$107,679 · top 20%
🚽 Air55 AQI · bottom 9%
Taxes
0.65% property · US 0.99%7.89% sales · US 7.00%4.40% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Air quality (AQI)County-level55 AQI9

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

55 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level22 days11

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

22 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Uninsured adults16.8%13

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

16.8% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Commute time31 min13

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

31 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Property crime rate2558/100k17

U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities

2558 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Violent crime rate486/100k18

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

486 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Housing cost$499,50019

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$499,500 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.4%24

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

4.4% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Bachelor's degree or higher23.5%33

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

23.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level94/10034

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

94/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Rent$1,949/mo37

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$1,949/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Poor mental health17.5%44

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

17.5% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Adult smoking13.4%48

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

13.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Adult obesity33.4%59

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

33.4% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Poverty rate9.4%61

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

9.4% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Physical inactivity22.7%63

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

22.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Population growth (5yr)+5.6%67

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+5.6% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Income inequality0.4170

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.41 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Homeownership71.5%70

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

71.5% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Broadband access94.3%73

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

94.3% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Property-tax burden0.65%79

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.65% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Median household income$107,67980

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$107,679 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Frequently asked

Is Brighton, CO a good place to live?
By the numbers, Brighton scores 37/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is median household income and its weakest is air quality (aqi). Colorado overall ranks #36 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Brighton, CO?
Brighton reports 486 violent crimes per 100k and 2558 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Brighton, CO expensive to live in?
Brighton has a median home value of $499,500 and typical rent around $1,949/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Brighton, CO?
Its weakest measured area is air quality (aqi) (55 AQI) — 9/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
What is Brighton, CO best at?
Its strongest measured area is median household income ($107,679) — 80/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.