The Municipality of Brighton (formed on January 1, 2001, through an amalgamation of the former Town of Brighton and Brighton Township) is home to over 12,108 inhabitants, with a higher than average percentage of those retired.
This is common, as the quiet, clean and friendly atmosphere of many smaller towns near Lake Ontario tends to draw the elderly to popular places for retirement living.
Presqu'ile Provincial Park, just south of the town centre, is one of Brighton's most popular attractions. The park is noted for bird-watching and other nature-oriented activities. Memory Junction Railway Museum, located in a former Grand Trunk station, has a collection of rail equipment and memorabilia.