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Buying a home in Brighton, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Brighton is worth about $92,900, 55% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 72% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,438 a year in property taxes, about 1.55% of their home's value, higher than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $50,481 a year, so the median home costs 1.8 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 69% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 48% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Brighton at a glance

Brighton Iowa U.S.
Median home value $92,900 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,438 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.55% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $50,481 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 69% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 48% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,221 $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 24.4% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent $675 $972 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 28.3% 27.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1953 1972 1980
Vacant homes 3.7% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 588 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Brighton

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Brighton home of $92,900 with 20% down costs about $659 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $813, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $28,228 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 16% of the median Brighton household income of $50,481; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $166,000.

The median rent here is $675 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$18,580
Loan amount$74,320
Principal and interest$500
Property taxes (1.55% a year)$120
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$39
PMI$0
Total per month$659

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$3,252
Loan amount$91,217
Principal and interest$614
Property taxes (1.55% a year)$120
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$39
FHA mortgage insurance$41
Total per month$813

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Questions about home buying in Brighton

What is the median home value in Brighton?

About $92,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Brighton?

Homeowners pay a median $1,438 a year, which is about 1.55% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Brighton?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $659 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $28,228 a year.

More about Brighton

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data