City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Rainsville, AL

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

5,613
Residents
$64,140
Median income
$207,800
Median home
$776
Median rent (state)

Rainsville - the verdict

Nationally, Rainsville sits in the 42nd percentile for household income and the 87th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

42nd
percentile, household income
45th
percentile, home value
0th
percentile, median rent
87th
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: Rainsville, AL

5,613 people live in Rainsville, Alabama - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Rainsville households earn a median of $64,140 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 4.0%. Typical homes in Rainsville are valued around $207,800, and the median resident age is 46.4 years. About 28.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 57.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 14 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 58% from five years earlier. Rainsville reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 444.5 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as 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. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $776 per month statewide. 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 80.4 out of 100 (High).

Population

5,613 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$64,140 /yr

Poverty 4.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Rainsville compare to other US cities?

Rainsville measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 42% higher than other cities
Home value 45% pricier than other cities
Median rent 0% pricier than other cities
Safety 87% 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: Rainsville ranks #18 of 222 Alabama cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Rainsville against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Alabama only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Alabama-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Rainsville near the bottom of Alabama's cities

Among the 556 Alabama cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Rainsville ranks #416 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Rainsville only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#168 of 530
68th percentile in Alabama
Median Gross Rent
#416 of 556
0th percentile in Alabama
Median Home Value
#104 of 517
80th percentile in Alabama
Poverty Rate
#445 of 556
19th percentile in Alabama
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#98 of 556
82nd percentile in Alabama

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Alabama only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

42ndIncome percentile
87thSafety percentile

42nd percentile nationally for median household income · 87th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Rainsville's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Rainsville'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 69 Avg. percentile National median
Rainsville'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 Rainsville's home value compares nationally

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

$207,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 55% 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. Rainsville $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 - Rainsville, AL Rainsville, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Rainsville, 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 Rainsville, AL median $64,140/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%
Rainsville, 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 Rainsville, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 28.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.6%

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

Population
5,613
Median Income
$64,140
Median Home Value
$207,800
Median Age
46.4
Poverty Rate
4.0%
Labor force participation
57.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
28.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
444.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
17.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
427.4
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
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
5,400 residents5,600 residents5,800 residents6,000 residents6,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 5,531 residents 6,020 residents ▲ +8.8%
Rainsville's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
14
housing units authorized
Single-Family
14
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 33
2020 46
2021 42
2022 37
2023 72
2024 14

Permit volume decreased 58% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
93.2%
Carpool
2.2%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
4.7%

Based on 2,595 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 Rainsville sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$776/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
80.4 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Highland Lakes
5,673 people
Margaret
5,538 people
Holtville
5,700 people
Smiths Station
5,443 people
Semmes
5,404 people
Attalla
5,829 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Rainsville's 5,613 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Kings Point, NY
5,614 people
Leesville, LA
5,610 people
Imperial, MO
5,617 people
Bowie, TX
5,617 people
McGregor, TX
5,608 people
Adel, GA
5,619 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Rainsville's $64,140 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Canton, KS
$64,141 median income
Rockwell, NC
$64,141 median income
Pittsburgh, PA
$64,137 median income
Byron, MI
$64,135 median income
Honeoye, NY
$64,145 median income
Jacksonville, OH
$64,135 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Rainsville, 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 Rainsville, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 82.6% 10.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 11.3% White 82.6% Black or African American 1.1% Asian 1.0% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 10.8% Two or more races 4.1% 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 Rainsville 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
Rainsville (this city) 5,613 $64,140
Highland Lakes 5,673 $169,833
Margaret 5,538 $97,075
Holtville 5,700 $73,250
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Rainsville, AL?

What is the population of Rainsville, AL? +

Rainsville, AL has a population of 5,613 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Rainsville, AL? +

In Rainsville, the typical household earns $64,140 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Rainsville? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Rainsville; 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 Rainsville, AL safe? +

Rainsville has a total crime rate of 444.5 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 Rainsville, AL? +

The median home value in Rainsville is $207,800, 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

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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.