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Brighton, Alabama facts for kids

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Brighton
Location of Brighton in Jefferson County, Alabama.
Location of Brighton in Jefferson County, Alabama.
Country United States
State Alabama
County Jefferson
Area
 • Total 1.42 sq mi (3.66 km2)
 • Land 1.42 sq mi (3.66 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
515 ft (157 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 2,337
 • Density 1,651.59/sq mi (637.81/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
35020
Area code(s) 205 & 659
FIPS code 01-09400
GNIS feature ID 2403925

Brighton is a city in Alabama, United States. It is located near the larger city of Birmingham, Alabama. You can find it just east of Hueytown.

In 2020, about 2,337 people lived in Brighton. It is part of the larger Birmingham-Hoover area. This area had over a million people in 2010. That's about one-fourth of all the people in Alabama!

Brighton is one of four cities in Jefferson County named after places in Great Britain. Many of the first people who settled here came from England. They named their new town after Brighton, a famous tourist city in England.

Geography of Brighton

Brighton is located at 33°26′20″N 86°56′44″W / 33.438958°N 86.945442°W / 33.438958; -86.945442.

The city covers a total area of about 1.4 square miles (3.6 square kilometers). All of this area is land, with no large bodies of water.

History of Brighton

By 1901, about 100 families lived in Brighton. The city was along a special train line built in 1889. This line connected the cities of Bessemer and Birmingham.

The city officially started in 1892. A developer named G.B. Edwards divided a piece of land into smaller lots and sold them. The old Huntsville Road became Main Street. Brighton became an official city in 1901. By 1910, the town had 1,502 people and many businesses.

Brighton's success was closely connected to the Woodward Iron Company. When this company moved away, the town's population quickly decreased. Many early settlers worked at Woodward. Their graves can be found in Brighton Cemetery, which is still used today.

A historical marker stands near Brighton City Hall. It remembers a past event where a coal miner named William Miller was wrongly accused and killed. Later, other people were found guilty of the crime.

Population and People in Brighton

Historical population
Census Pop.
1910 1,502
1920 3,665 144.0%
1930 1,708 −53.4%
1940 1,377 −19.4%
1950 1,689 22.7%
1960 2,884 70.8%
1970 2,277 −21.0%
1980 5,308 133.1%
1990 4,518 −14.9%
2000 3,640 −19.4%
2010 2,945 −19.1%
2020 2,337 −20.6%
U.S. Decennial Census
2013 Estimate

Brighton's Population in 2020

In the 2020 census, there were 2,337 people living in Brighton. There were 1,180 households and 519 families.

Here's a look at the different groups of people in Brighton in 2020:

Brighton racial composition
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 81 3.47%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 1,805 77.24%
Native American 3 0.13%
Asian 5 0.21%
Pacific Islander 1 0.05%
Other/Mixed 45 1.93%
Hispanic or Latino 398 17.03%

Brighton's Population in 2010

In the 2010 census, Brighton had 2,945 people. There were 1,105 households and 696 families. The city had about 789 people per square mile.

Most people in Brighton (81.0%) were Black or African American. About 6.5% were White, and 1.0% were Native American. About 13.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

About 21.7% of households had children under 18. About 24.6% were married couples. The average household had 2.64 people. The average family had 3.39 people.

The median age in Brighton was 38 years old. This means half the people were younger than 38, and half were older. About 22.8% of the people were under 18.

The median household income was $25,929. This means half the households earned more, and half earned less. About 16.6% of the population lived below the poverty line.

Famous People from Brighton

Many interesting people have come from Brighton:

  • Charles Avery (1892–1974), a talented blues and boogie-woogie pianist.
  • Parnell Dickinson, a former professional football player.
  • Albert Hall, an actor who has been in plays, TV shows, and movies.
  • Henry Panion, a music director for famous singers like Stevie Wonder and Whitney Houston.
  • Josephus C. Vines, a former mayor of Brighton.
  • Linda Love (Linda Burroughs), an international blues singer and actress.
  • Asmar A. Baraka (former Alex Banks, Jr.), a former professional football player.
  • Douglas Bender, a former professional baseball player.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Brighton (Alabama) para niños

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