Water damage restoration · Brighton, Colorado
Water damage restoration in Brighton, CO
Burst pipe, failed water heater, or storm water? Brighton-area ZIPs: 8 flood claims since 1979[1]; 31% of homes built before 1980[2]. Request help from local restoration crews. Brighton, in Adams County and Weld County — ZIPs 80601, 80603, counts 45,395 residents (2025 estimate)[3].
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Brighton at a glance for water damage
- Population (2025 est.)
- 45,395[3]+13.3% since 2020
- County
- Adams / Weld[3]city spans more than one county
- Land area
- 21.7 sq mi[4]
- Flood-insurance (NFIP) claims, local ZIPs
- 8 since 1979[1]$57,815 paid across 5 claims · ZIP 80601, 80603
- Flood & flash-flood reports within 10 mi
- 2[5]2016–2025 · latest May 11, 2023
- Federal disaster declarations incl. flooding, Adams Co.
- 3[6]of 9 total declarations
- Homes built before 1980
- 31%[2]the 6th-lowest share of the 15 Denver-area suburbs we cover
- Households renting
- 29%[2]2020–2024
What Brighton's numbers say about water damage
Brighton is one of the fastest-growing Denver-metro suburbs tracked here: 45,395 people (2025 estimate), up 13.3% since 2020[3]. On the map that's 21.7 square miles holding 2,088 residents per square mile, the 14th densest of the suburbs here; it spans Adams County and Weld County, with ZIP codes 80601, 80603[4].
Brighton mixes 24% of homes built since 2010 and 31% before 1980[2]: new supply lines and water heaters in one house, aging pipe and original valves in the next — so where a leak starts depends a lot on the address.
2 ZIP codes cover Brighton — 80601 (77% of the city's land), 80603 (15% of the city's land)[7].
The closest tracked neighbours are Commerce City (5.7 mi S), Thornton (8.4 mi W) and Northglenn (10.6 mi W)[4].
8 flood-insurance claims have come from Brighton-area ZIP codes (80601, 80603) since 1979, and $57,815 has been paid on them (about $11,563 per paid claim)[1]. 1991 was the worst year, with 2 claims. That is the 2nd-fewest of the 15 Denver-area suburbs we cover; for comparison, Commerce City (6), Thornton (34), and Northglenn (19). Most jobs here start inside the house. Of the 8 claims rated in a flood zone, 2 were in FEMA's high-risk areas (zones A or V) and 6 outside them (zones B, C or X)[1][8] — flooding here is not only a high-risk-zone problem.
By month of loss, Brighton-area flood claims cluster in May (1), June (3), and July (3) — 7 of 8 dated claims[1].
Within 10 miles of central Brighton, weather observers filed 2 flood, flash-flood or heavy-rain reports in 2016–2025[5]. Countywide: 3 flood declarations since 2000, latest Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (DR-4229, 2015)[6]. Nearby: Commerce City (2), Thornton (7), and Northglenn (11).
31% of Brighton's 14,116 housing units predate 1980[2] — the 6th-lowest share of the 15 Denver-area suburbs we cover (Commerce City (24%), Thornton (22%), and Northglenn (60%)). Expect a mix of original and replaced plumbing.
71% of Brighton households own their home[2], so most claims and rebuilds here are coordinated by the owner.
Measured against the 15 suburbs on this site, Brighton records the 2nd-fewest NFIP flood claims (8)[1], the 2nd-fewest flood reports nearby (2, tied with Commerce City)[5], and the 3rd-lowest median home value ($499,500)[2].
How a leak spreads inside a wall
Give a leak time and it travels — outward across the floor, upward into drywall by capillary action.
water damage help in Brighton: what to do next
Your request reaches Water damage restoration contractors who serve Brighton (ZIP codes 80601, 80603).
Before you call: what a restoration crew does first
Shared walls and ceilings: Brighton homes by building type
With 70%[2] of homes detached, most Brighton water-damage jobs stay inside one house — the owner's policy and the owner's call.
After detached houses, the biggest group is attached house (townhouse, rowhouse): 942 of 14,116 housing units[2].
Brighton also has 409 mobile homes (2.9%); for a leak under one, ask for a crew that works on manufactured homes.
| Building type | Units | Share | Margin of error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached house | 9,890 | 70.1% | ±557 |
| Attached house (townhouse, rowhouse) | 942 | 6.7% | ±271 |
| Duplex (2 units) | 122 | 0.9% | ±80 |
| 3–4 units | 251 | 1.8% | ±103 |
| 5–9 units | 560 | 4.0% | ±176 |
| 10–19 units | 751 | 5.3% | ±277 |
| 20–49 units | 710 | 5.0% | ±244 |
| 50 or more units | 481 | 3.4% | ±187 |
| Mobile home | 409 | 2.9% | ±163 |
Margins of error are the Census Bureau’s 90% intervals; small categories in small cities are rough.
The Brighton numbers behind this page
| Measure | Brighton | Median of 15 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFIP flood claims (area ZIPs) | 8 | 35 | 27 fewer |
| Flood reports (10 mi) | 2 | 6 | 4 fewer |
| Renter-occupied | 29% | 37% | 9 pts lower |
| Built before 1980 | 31% | 37% | 5 pts lower |
| Owner-occupied | 71% | 63% | 9 pts higher |
| Median home value | $499,500 | $574,400 | 13% lower |
| Median year built | 1999 | 1987 | 12 years newer |
Largest differences first. Medians are the middle value across the covered Denver-area suburbs, from the same sources.
| City | NFIP claims | Flood reports ≤10 mi | Built before 1980 | Renting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton | 8 | 2 | 31% | 29% |
| Commerce City 5.7 mi | 6 | 2 | 24% | 23% |
| Thornton 8.4 mi | 34 | 7 | 22% | 29% |
| Northglenn 10.6 mi | 19 | 11 | 60% | 39% |
| Broomfield 13.6 mi | 57 | 6 | 21% | 37% |
| Westminster 15.4 mi | 45 | 14 | 34% | 38% |
| ZIP | Claims | Paid | Busiest year | Outside high-risk zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80601 | 4 | $4,338 | 1991 (2) | 3 of 4 |
| 80603 | 4 | $53,477 | 2010 (1) | 3 of 4 |
ZIPs extend past city limits. Outside high-risk zones: claims rated in zone B, C or X, of the claims that carry a zone.
| Year | Claims |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 1997 | 1 |
| 1991 | 2 |
| 1979 | 1 |
| Month | Claims |
|---|---|
| May | 1 |
| June | 3 |
| July | 3 |
| August | 1 |
| Date | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2023 | Flood | 7.9 mi |
| May 11, 2023 | Flood | 9.1 mi |
| ZIP (ZCTA) | Share of Brighton's land | Share of the ZIP inside the city |
|---|---|---|
| 80601 | 77% | 63% |
| 80603 | 15% | 4% |
water damage questions from Brighton homeowners
Do I need flood insurance in Brighton?
Homeowners policies exclude outside floodwater[9], and Brighton-area ZIPs have 2 NFIP claims in just the last ten years[1].
Which Brighton ZIP codes do these crews cover?
80601 and 80603[7], in Adams County. Nearby pages: Commerce City (5.7 mi), Thornton (8.4 mi), and Northglenn (10.6 mi)[4].
Which Brighton ZIP code has the most flood claims?
80601, with 4 NFIP claims and $4,338 paid[1].
When was the last flood report near Brighton?
May 11, 2023: a flood report 7.9 miles from the city center[5].
My Brighton home is fairly new — could the plumbing fixtures and water heater still be under warranty?
Possibly: 24% of Brighton's housing units were built in 2010 or later[2], the 5th-highest share of the 15 Denver-area suburbs we cover. Check your closing paperwork for warranties before paying for a repair.
Sources
- OpenFEMA NFIP claims
- Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year (keyless bulk)
- Census population estimates, Vintage 2025
- Census Gazetteer 2025
- NOAA Storm Events Database
- OpenFEMA disaster declarations
- Census 2020 ZCTA–place file
- FEMA, Flood Zones (link unverified)
- FEMA FloodSmart (link unverified)
Data pulled Sep 28, 2026. Full citations and method.