The Town FilesBrighton, New York
Town in Franklin County · population 1,174 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $245,500
- Household income
- $65,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 104 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 22.2
Brighton is a town of 1,174 people in Franklin County, New York. The median home is worth $245,500, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for a vacation home than 97% of New York towns, better for retirees than 95% of New York towns, more of a college town than 92% of New York towns.
How Brighton ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Brighton is worth $245,500, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $65,750, which is more affordable than 31% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,100 a month. 70.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brighton | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $245,500 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,100 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $65,750 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 70.5% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 48.5% | — |
Who lives in Brighton
| People | Brighton | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 22.2 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.8% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 6.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.5% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.8% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 2.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.3% | — |
| Work from home | 12.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 18.0 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.2% | 91.1% |
Weather in Brighton
July highs average 76.6°F and January lows 2.3°F. About 36.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 104.1 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 201 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Brighton since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 26, 1986 about 6.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 26, 1986.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on July 18, 2016.
Severe weather in Franklin County since 1996
Franklin County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 24, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4825: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby |
| July 22, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4723: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| July 12, 2017 | Snowstorm | DR-4322: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Franklin County
Franklin County had 17,453 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $68,442 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Brighton itself the ACS puts it at 7%.
Towns near Brighton
- Franklin, NY9.4 mi · 1,150 people · home $226,700
- Saranac Lake, NY11.5 mi · 4,887 people · home $199,900
- St. Armand, NY13.5 mi · 1,446 people · home $241,200
- Waverly, NY15.2 mi · 963 people · home $106,700
- Harrietstown, NY17.5 mi · 5,254 people · home $209,000
- Lake Placid, NY18.2 mi · 2,205 people · home $400,000
- Wilmington, NY18.8 mi · 1,139 people · home $322,600
- Tupper Lake, NY19.0 mi · 5,147 people · home $151,300
Brighton questions
Is Brighton, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brighton scores better for retirees than 95% of New York towns and quieter than 51%. 16.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 22.2).
How much does a house cost in Brighton?
The median owner-occupied home in Brighton is valued at $245,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,750, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,100 a month.
What is the weather like in Brighton?
July highs average 76.6°F and January lows 2.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.6 inches of precipitation a year and 104.1 inches of snow.
Does Brighton get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Brighton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 26, 1986. The typical New York town has had 5.
- 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)