The Town FilesBrighton, Iowa
City in Washington County · population 600 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $92,900
- Household income
- $50,481
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 40.7
Brighton is a city of 600 people in Washington County, Iowa. The median home is worth $92,900, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 71% of Iowa towns.
How Brighton ranks
Percentile among Iowa towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Iowa towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Brighton is worth $92,900, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $50,481, which is more affordable than 83% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $675 a month. 68.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brighton | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $92,900 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $675 | $820 |
| Median household income | $50,481 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 68.5% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Brighton
| People | Brighton | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.7 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.1% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 29.7% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 8.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 7.3% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 29.0 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.7% | 88.5% |
Weather in Brighton
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 11.5°F. About 37.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 34.1 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 140 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brighton since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 15, 1998 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 17, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 6, 2006.
Severe weather in Washington County since 1996
Washington County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 17, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4557: Severe Storms |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3480: Covid-19 |
| August 5, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4187: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 29, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1930: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Washington County
Washington County had 8,558 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,539 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Brighton itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Towns near Brighton
- Wayland, IA8.7 mi · 964 people · home $135,500
- Richland, IA9.0 mi · 542 people · home $135,700
- Washington, IA10.8 mi · 7,352 people · home $152,300
- Fairfield, IA13.9 mi · 9,416 people · home $156,000
- Keota, IA14.8 mi · 897 people · home $106,600
- Ainsworth, IA16.0 mi · 511 people · home $118,400
- Winfield, IA20.2 mi · 1,033 people · home $100,000
- Wellman, IA20.4 mi · 1,524 people · home $174,500
Brighton questions
Is Brighton, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brighton scores better for retirees than 56% of Iowa towns and quieter than 63%. 21.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.7).
How much does a house cost in Brighton?
The median owner-occupied home in Brighton is valued at $92,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,481, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $675 a month.
What is the weather like in Brighton?
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 11.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.9 inches of precipitation a year and 34.1 inches of snow.
Does Brighton get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brighton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 15, 1998. The typical Iowa town has had 24.
- 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)