City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Rainbow City, AL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Rainbow City - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

10,213
Residents
$59,659
Median income
$203,600
Median home
$927
Median rent (state)

Rainbow City - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Rainbow City lands in the 35th percentile for household income and the 63rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

35th
percentile, household income
44th
percentile, home value
8th
percentile, median rent
63rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Rainbow City, AL

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 10,213 residents in Rainbow City, a small town within Alabama. The typical household in Rainbow City brings in $59,659 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.7%. Home values in Rainbow City run a median of $203,600, and the median resident age is 40.2 years. 21.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 49.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 17 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Low Activity). Rainbow City reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1013.4 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Alabama run below the national norm: the state registers 88.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $927 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Alabama run around $245, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 87.3 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

10,213 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$59,659 /yr

Poverty 7.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Rainbow City compare to other US cities?

Where Rainbow City sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 35% higher than other cities
Home value 44% pricier than other cities
Median rent 8% pricier than other cities
Safety 63% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Alabama and the picture shifts: Rainbow City ranks #58 of 222 Alabama cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Rainbow City's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Alabama, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

35thIncome percentile
63rdSafety percentile

35th percentile nationally for median household income · 63rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Rainbow City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Rainbow City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 57 Avg. percentile National median
Rainbow City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Rainbow City's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$203,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 56% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Rainbow City $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Rainbow City, AL Rainbow City, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Rainbow City, AL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Rainbow City, AL median $59,659/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Rainbow City, AL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Rainbow City, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 49.4%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
10,213
Median Income
$59,659
Median Home Value
$203,600
Median Age
40.2
Poverty Rate
7.7%
Labor force participation
49.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1013.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
86.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
926.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
10,100 residents10,200 residents10,300 residents10,400 residents10,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 10,212 residents 10,406 residents ▲ +1.9%
Rainbow City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
17
housing units authorized
Single-Family
15
detached homes
Multifamily
2
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 21
2021 68
2022 33
2023 12
2024 17

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
77.3%
Carpool
11.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.5%
Work from Home
8.7%

Based on 3,949 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Alabama - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$138
avg/month
Natural Gas
$62
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$245
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Alabama state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Alabama state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Rainbow City sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$927/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
87.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Meridianville
10,268 people
Clay
10,288 people
Pike Road
10,103 people
Spanish Fort
10,377 people
Valley
10,406 people
Fairfield
9,846 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Rainbow City's 10,213 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Cedartown, GA
10,211 people
Sellersburg, IN
10,215 people
Safford, AZ
10,217 people
Columbia, PA
10,217 people
Independent Hill, VA
10,217 people
New Hyde Park, NY
10,208 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Rainbow City's $59,659 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Harlansburg, PA
$59,659 median income
Mill Village, PA
$59,659 median income
Fayetteville, WV
$59,659 median income
Mineville, NY
$59,661 median income
Fort Hood, TX
$59,661 median income
Childress, TX
$59,662 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Rainbow City, AL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Rainbow City, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 80.7% 9.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.0% White 80.7% Black or African American 9.6% Asian 2.5% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.6% Two or more races 3.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Rainbow City compares to nearby Alabama cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Rainbow City (this city) 10,213 $59,659
Meridianville 10,268 $93,030
Clay 10,288 $86,163
Pike Road 10,103 $121,687
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Rainbow City, AL?

What is the population of Rainbow City, AL? +

10,213 people live in Rainbow City, AL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Rainbow City, AL? +

In Rainbow City, the typical household earns $59,659 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Rainbow City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Rainbow City; the closest available measure is the Alabama state average, a cost of living index of 88.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Alabama vary by metro area.

Is Rainbow City, AL safe? +

Rainbow City has a total crime rate of 1013.4 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Rainbow City, AL? +

Homes in Rainbow City carry a median value of $203,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.