The Town FilesBrightwood, Virginia
Community in Madison County · population 1,064 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $328,800
- Household income
- $70,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 17 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 44.8
Brightwood is a community of 1,064 people in Madison County, Virginia. The median home is worth $328,800, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks better for families than 75% of Virginia towns, more of a college town than 74% of Virginia towns, easier by car than 72% of Virginia towns.
How Brightwood ranks
Percentile among Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Virginia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Brightwood is worth $328,800, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 4.7 times the median household income of $70,625, which is more affordable than 21% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $958 a month. 94.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brightwood | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $328,800 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $958 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $70,625 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.7× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 94.5% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Brightwood
| People | Brightwood | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.8 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.2% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 18.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.6% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.0% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 13.1% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 33.0 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.7% | 91.8% |
Weather in Brightwood
July highs average 87.1°F and January lows 24.0°F. About 45.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 17.3 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 30 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 109 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brightwood since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 12, 1976 about 7.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 30, 2005.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 16, 1998.
Severe weather in Madison County since 1996
Madison County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3631: Severe Winter Storm |
| October 1, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4831: Tropical Storm Helene |
| March 11, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4644: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3448: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Madison County
Madison County had 3,095 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,151 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Brightwood itself the ACS puts it at 5.6%.
Towns near Brightwood
- Culpeper, VA10.7 mi · 20,062 people · home $390,000
- Orange, VA12.1 mi · 4,880 people · home $273,300
- Ruckersville, VA16.6 mi · 1,484 people · home $407,800
- Twin Lakes, VA18.0 mi · 1,602 people · home $237,300
- Gordonsville, VA19.2 mi · 1,402 people · home $272,800
- Stanley, VA20.6 mi · 1,703 people · home $211,000
- Piney Mountain, VA21.3 mi · 1,880 people · home $296,000
- Remington, VA22.0 mi · 626 people · home $324,200
Brightwood questions
Is Brightwood, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brightwood scores better for retirees than 37% of Virginia towns and quieter than 71%. 21.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.8).
How much does a house cost in Brightwood?
The median owner-occupied home in Brightwood is valued at $328,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,625, so homes cost about 4.7 times income. Median rent is $958 a month.
What is the weather like in Brightwood?
July highs average 87.1°F and January lows 24.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.0 inches of precipitation a year and 17.3 inches of snow.
Does Brightwood get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brightwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 12, 1976. The typical Virginia town has had 11.
- 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)