Housing data for Rainsville, AL
Rainsville, AL has an estimated 5,702 residents and 2,762 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in DeKalb County.
10.7% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $519 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+13.1%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 5,702 (±24)
- Housing units
- 2,762 (±237)
- Households that rent
- 10.7%
- Median gross rent
- $519
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +13.1%
What stands out in Rainsville
Median home value: $230,400 (±$16,333) in Rainsville, higher than in DeKalb County ($152,700).
Households that rent: 10.7% (±5.9 points) in Rainsville, lower than in DeKalb County (21.7%).
Median household income: $74,046 (±$19,367) in Rainsville, higher than in DeKalb County ($51,204).
Median real estate taxes: $683 (±$142) in Rainsville, higher than in DeKalb County ($496).
Housing in Rainsville at a glance
- Median rent: $519 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $470 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 57.6% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 10.7% of households rent (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Income and affordability: $74,046 median household income
- Home values: $230,400 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,291 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $683 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 0.9% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 79.8% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 37.2% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 15.3% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 71.1% heat with electricity
- Commute and cars: 19.3 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 83 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +13.1% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 17.3% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 0.5% of homes have more than 1 person per room
Rainsville against DeKalb County, its state and the nation
| Rainsville | DeKalb County | Alabama | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 5,702 (±24) | 72,269 (exact) | 5,086,768 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 2,762 (±237) | 30,963 (±79) | 2,337,265 (±430) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 10.7% (±5.9 points) | 21.7% (±1.9 points) | 29.8% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $519 (±$212) | $693 (±$25) | $1,007 (±$8) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $74,046 (±$19,367) | $51,204 (±$2,508) | $63,999 (±$399) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $230,400 (±$16,333) | $152,700 (±$5,889) | $209,900 (±$1,076) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $683 (±$142) | $496 (±$22) | $788 (±$6) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 37.2% (±9.8 points) | 44.4% (±2.8 points) | 42.2% (±0.4 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 19.3 minutes (±4.1) | 24.8 minutes (±1.1) | 25.5 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 94.0% (±4.9 points) | 86.9% (±1.9 points) | 87.5% (±0.2 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 49.4 years (±7.8) | 39.5 years (±0.4) | 39.3 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
Rainsville covers 20.7 square miles of land, about 275 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Rainsville has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 5,041 (±18) | 5,702 (±24) | +13.1% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 2,092 (±274) | 2,762 (±237) | +32.0% | Measurable increase |
| Median gross rent | $569 (±$72) | $519 (±$212) | −8.8% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $109,000 (±$10,249) | $230,400 (±$16,333) | +111.4% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $33,295 (±$4,985) | $74,046 (±$19,367) | +122.4% | Up after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $892 (±$93) | $1,291 (±$229) | +44.7% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $407 (±$69) | $683 (±$142) | +67.8% | Up after inflation |
| Households that rent | 34.4% (±7.2 points) | 10.7% (±5.9 points) | −23.7 percentage points | Measurable decrease |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.5% (±3.7 points) | 15.3% (±21.5 points) | +12.8 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Rainsville
In 2025, the Rainsville Police Department reported 83 violent and 779 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across DeKalb County, the departments that report recorded 140 violent and 842 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in Rainsville
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35986 | 46% | 8,207 | $558 | $221,600 | $68,056 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Rainsville
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shiloh | 3.2 mi | $725 | $113,900 | 44.6% |
| Powell | 4.4 mi | $931 | $116,400 | 27.9% |
| Pine Ridge | 4.4 mi | $852 | — | 29.2% |
| Sylvania | 5.0 mi | $692 | $161,500 | 33.2% |
| Fyffe | 5.0 mi | $565 | $113,300 | 27.8% |
| Fort Payne | 8.8 mi | $679 | $157,000 | 30.7% |
| Dutton | 8.8 mi | $769 | $113,800 | 19.2% |
| Section | 10 mi | $638 | $156,000 | 21.5% |
Places in Alabama most like Rainsville
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leesburg | $588 | $182,500 | $56,875 | 24.5% |
| Headland | $822 | $219,600 | $79,063 | 20.8% |
| Carolina | $669 | $152,500 | $60,250 | 18.5% |
| New Brockton | $627 | $207,600 | $72,212 | 27.6% |
| Sardis City | $862 | $225,700 | $67,721 | 8.8% |
| Pisgah | $506 | $134,400 | $54,167 | 20.1% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Alabama.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Rainsville, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $699 | $704 | $921 | $1,154 | $1,539 |
HUD income limits for Rainsville, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $15,960 | $26,000 | $41,550 |
| 2 people | $21,640 | $29,700 | $47,500 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $33,400 | $53,450 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $37,100 | $59,350 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $40,100 | $64,100 |
| 6 people | $43,050 | $43,050 | $68,850 |
| 7 people | $46,050 | $46,050 | $73,600 |
| 8 people | $49,000 | $49,000 | $78,350 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the DeKalb County, AL, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $70,100.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Rainsville
What is the average rent in Rainsville, AL?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Rainsville is $519 (±$212) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Rainsville?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Rainsville, AL is $543 (±$92) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in Rainsville rent-burdened?
57.6% of renting households in Rainsville pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Rainsville?
The median household income in Rainsville is $74,046 (±$19,367) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Rainsville, AL?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $230,400 (±$16,333) for owner-occupied homes in Rainsville (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average mortgage payment in Rainsville?
The Census Bureau publishes total owner costs rather than the mortgage alone: the median for owners with a mortgage in Rainsville, AL is $1,291 (±$229) a month, including taxes, insurance and utilities.
Is Rainsville growing?
In Rainsville, the number of residents went from 5,041 in 2015–2019 to 5,702 in 2020–2024 (+13.1%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in Rainsville?
The ZIP code that covers Rainsville is 35986.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 35986?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 35986 is $558 (±$235) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Rainsville city, Alabama
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Rainsville city, Alabama
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Rainsville city, Alabama
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Rainsville city, Alabama
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Rainsville city, Alabama
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Rainsville city, Alabama
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Rainsville city, Alabama
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: DeKalb County, AL
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: DeKalb County, AL
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Rainsville Police Department (ORI AL0280700)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Rainsville city, Alabama (place:63336, in state:01).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .