Rainbow City is a city in Etowah County, Alabama, home to about 10,284 people across 26 square miles. Its ZIP code is 35906.
Homes sold for a median of $155 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Rainbow City; also Gadsden
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Rainbow City. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Rainbow City’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM)46 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Atlanta, GA96 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL553 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Rainbow City; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Rainbow City had 10,191 residents in the 2020 census, up 21% since 2000.
It’s the 68th largest of 591 towns in Alabama by population.
Etowah County grew from 27,361 residents in 1900 to 103,436 in 2020.
Etowah County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 91°F in summer, and winter lows average 33°F. About 57.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 0 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Gadsden, AL weather station (9 miles away).
28,155 jobs at 1,954 businesses in Etowah County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
115 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Rainbow City.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 15 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 4 |
| Dentists | 7 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 19 |
| Mental health providers | 16 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 39 |
| Optometrists | 2 |
| Chiropractors | 13 |
| Pharmacies | 6 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (2 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 3.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Etowah County. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John S Jones Elementary SchoolRainbow City | Pre-K–5 | 745 | Public | 1.9 mi |
| Rainbow Middle SchoolRainbow City | 6–8 | 634 | Public | 1.9 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Gadsden.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.