The Sun is brighter than what percentage of stars in the Milky Way by raw frequency?
About 85% of the stars
When evaluating the Sun's brightness against the entire stellar population, it outshines the majority due to the statistical prevalence of smaller, fainter stars. Since red dwarfs—the smallest and dimmest class—account for approximately 70% of all stars, the Sun's luminosity places it well above average in terms of radiant output. Specifically, the Sun is brighter than about 85% of the stars found within the Milky Way galaxy. This places the Sun in the upper percentile for brightness when considering all stars, making the description oftimes-used descriptor of 'average-sized' dependent entirely on whether one is comparing it to the overall frequency distribution or to the distribution of stars capable of supporting life.
