Brighton, MA: High Radon Risk - Home Safety 100/100
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Brighton: A.
No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.
Brighton tap water earns a high safety grade - above-average compliance with MA and federal standards.
How Brighton Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Brighton Water
- Average lead level: 0.0058 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 82% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,400 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 10.05.
Who Supplies Your Water in Brighton
Water service in Brighton, MA is organized around a single utility - one of 1 tracked by regulator, and the one that manages the local distribution network while holding primary responsibility for EPA compliance reporting.
- A
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Brighton, Massachusetts (population ~43,683), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 675,647 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
The available EPA record reports 0 violations for 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Brighton: A (100/100)
Model 4.0.0 uses four measured components across three equally weighted domains. If a required domain is unavailable, no score is published:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| PFAS MCL Screen | UCMR 5 testing against the covered federal MCLs |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
| Annual AQI | EPA AirData county-year median with at least 90 observed days |
Water Sources
Brighton water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0058 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 1 ZIP code with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 1 (High Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02135 | A | Boston Water and Sewer Commission (mwra) | 675,647 |
All ZIP Codes in Brighton
- 02135 [A]
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.
Health Outcomes in Brighton
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Housing & Infrastructure in Brighton
With 82% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. The EPA banned lead solder in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
The median home in Brighton was built in 1954 - a figure that places most of the city's residential stock in the era when lead solder was still standard in copper plumbing. Homes built before 1986 may have lead-soldered joints; those built before 1970 face the additional possibility of lead pipes in the service line itself.
Over half of homes in Brighton were built before 1986, when lead solder was banned. Older plumbing may leach lead into drinking water, especially with corrosive water chemistry.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Brighton Homeowners
The household financial picture for Brighton homeowners is proportionally favorable - addressing documented issues claims a small slice of equity, and the cost-to-value ratio puts this area well within the manageable tier.
Remediation costs in Brighton are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,600–$3,300 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 22% above the Massachusetts average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Brighton
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
Despite citywide averages serving as the standard public reference point, those aggregates cannot resolve what is happening at one specific faucet - and where 82% of Brighton homes come from before the solder rule or where utility samples sit at or above the action mark, the gap between system data and faucet reality matters more than it does in lower-exposure communities. An in-home draw closes that gap, with certified filtration through retailer networks available where confirmed faucet results warrant additional measures.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Brighton
Historical NFIP data for Brighton contains 10 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $20,039. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 100% have an A- or V-family dominant rated zone recorded in those historical claims. This is not a complete current FEMA property-map inventory.
How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. The <strong>$2,400</strong> remediation estimate shown here excludes flood insurance and is not derived from NFIP claim count.
Claim count does not establish current property risk. Check the exact address in FEMA's current map and obtain a property-specific insurance quote when relevant.
Source: historical FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claim records. No current FEMA property-map designation is asserted.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Brighton, MA