The Town FilesBrighton, Illinois
Village in Macoupin County · population 2,221 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $145,000
- Household income
- $80,214
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 17 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 28
- Median age
- 37.7
Brighton is a village of 2,221 people in Macoupin County, Illinois. The median home is worth $145,000, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for families than 89% of Illinois towns, better for first-time buyers than 80% of Illinois towns.
How Brighton ranks
Percentile among Illinois towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Illinois towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Brighton is worth $145,000, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $80,214, which is more affordable than 74% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $815 a month. 82.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brighton | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $145,000 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $815 | $960 |
| Median household income | $80,214 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 82.9% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.9% | — |
Who lives in Brighton
| People | Brighton | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.7 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.6% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.2% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.1% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 4.5% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 32.8 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.5% | 90.4% |
Weather in Brighton
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 19.2°F. About 42.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.5 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 118 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brighton since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 1, 1983 about 5.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 14, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 69 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 9, 2015.
Severe weather in Macoupin County since 1996
Macoupin County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| December 13, 2021 | Tornado | EM-3577: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| October 3, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1800: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| February 9, 2007 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1681: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in Macoupin County
Macoupin County had 10,150 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,689 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Brighton itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Public schools in Brighton
1 public school with 287 students, about 16.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton North Primary School | PK-2 | 287 | 16.9 |
Towns near Brighton
- Shipman, IL7.4 mi · 511 people · home $89,400
- Godfrey, IL7.5 mi · 17,825 people · home $192,200
- Alton, IL9.5 mi · 25,676 people · home $103,700
- Bunker Hill, IL10.1 mi · 1,630 people · home $137,500
- Bethalto, IL10.9 mi · 9,310 people · home $168,900
- East Alton, IL11.0 mi · 5,786 people · home $106,700
- Rosewood Heights, IL11.2 mi · 3,971 people · home $137,300
- Jerseyville, IL11.3 mi · 8,337 people · home $143,900
Brighton questions
Is Brighton, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brighton scores better for retirees than 44% of Illinois towns and quieter than 63%. 18.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.7).
How much does a house cost in Brighton?
The median owner-occupied home in Brighton is valued at $145,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,214, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $815 a month.
What is the weather like in Brighton?
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 19.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.2 inches of precipitation a year and 16.5 inches of snow.
Does Brighton get tornadoes?
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brighton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 1, 1983. The typical Illinois town has had 27.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)