Cost to Own
United StatesAlabamaJefferson CountyBrighton Population 3,091 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Brighton, Alabama

A $73,000 home here costs

$746

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $375. The real number is $371 higher every month — 99% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Brighton median: $72,800
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $58,400 borrowed $375
Property tax0.680% effective rate for Brighton itself $41
Homeowners insuranceAlabama averages $1,610/yr (NAIC), or 0.819% of home value $50
Electricity16.77¢/kWh — Alabama residential average, EIA $151
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $61
Total monthly $746

Brighton against Jefferson County and Alabama

MeasureBrightonJefferson County
Median home value$72,800$224,900
Median property tax$495$1,340
Effective tax rate0.680%0.596%
Median gross rent$668$1,132
Population3,091669,744

The weather behind that power bill

Brighton sits in Jefferson County, which averages a high of 91.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 34.9°F in its coldest, with 56.62" of precipitation a year and 28% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,177 cooling and 2,534 heating degree days, which is what sets the $151 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Jefferson County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Jefferson County

Full Jefferson County cost breakdown · Every county in Alabama

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Brighton?

A $73,000 home in Brighton, Alabama costs approximately $746 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $375 principal and interest, $41 property tax, $50 homeowners insurance, $219 utilities and $61 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Brighton?

Brighton has an effective property tax rate of 0.680%, based on a median home value of $72,800 and median real estate taxes of $495. That is higher than the Jefferson County average of 0.596%.

What is the average home price in Brighton?

The median owner-occupied home value in Brighton, Alabama is $72,800, against $224,900 across Jefferson County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Brighton?

Median gross rent in Brighton is $668 a month, against $746 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Brighton — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Alabama.
  • Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
  • Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
  • Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.

Full methodology