Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Brighton, NY

    Is Brighton a good place to live?

    Watch Brighton

    Brighton ranks #7 of 66 New York cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (68/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.5% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $259,300
    +9.6% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,272
    per month
    Household income
    $83,723
    median
    Unemployment
    4.3%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Brighton

    The median home value in Brighton is $259,300 and median rent is $1,272 a month, against a median household income of $83,723. Homes cost about 3.1× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Brighton crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across New York the 2025 rate was 368 violent and 1,567 property crimes per 100,000 people — #18 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Brighton, NY

    Brighton has about 36,633 residents, 4.3% unemployment and 29% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Brighton with

    Brighton vs New YorkBrighton vs BuffaloBrighton vs RochesterBrighton vs YonkersBrighton vs SyracuseBrighton vs AlbanyBrighton vs New RochelleBrighton vs Cheektowaga

    More: Where to move in New York · Best counties in New York

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report