Jobs, pay and daily life in Rainbow City, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Rainbow City is a city in Alabama with 10,284 residents. The median household earns $56,398 a year and the median rent is $1,048 a month, which is 22.3% of the median household income. It is part of the Gadsden, AL metropolitan area, where BLS counts 33,220 jobs.
How Rainbow City compares. Among the 80 largest places in Alabama, Rainbow City is #68 by population, #77 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #61 for college degrees (#1 = most), #52 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Etowah County, is #56 of 67 counties for average pay ($46,564).
Rainbow City has 10,284 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Alabama. It covers 26 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 401 people per square mile. The median age is 41.7, 6% older than the state median (41.7 against 39.3).
The median gross rent is $1,048 a month (rent plus utilities), 4% above the state median ($1,048 against $1,007). Over a year that is 22.3% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $223,000, which is 4.0 times the median household income ($56,398); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 65.6% of households own their home, 7% below the state average (65.6% against 70.2%).
The Gadsden, AL metropolitan area has 33,220 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $36,660 a year, 28% below the national median ($36,660 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are food preparation and serving related (3,830 jobs, median $25,720); production (3,570 jobs, median $36,520); transportation and material moving (3,520 jobs, median $34,850). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Etowah County was 3.8%. 55.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Etowah County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 78.4% drive alone, 1.4% use public transit, 0.0% walk, 8.0% work from home. 25.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 75% above the state average (25.8% against 14.7%).
20.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 27% below the state share (20.8% against 28.4%). 4.9% of residents were born outside the United States, 24% above the state share (4.9% against 4.0%). The poverty rate is 10.0%, 36% below the state rate (10.0% against 15.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.9°C), and the coolest is Jan at 41°F (4.8°C). About 1,344 mm (53 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (140 mm) and Oct the driest (84 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Southside (5 miles, rent 13% higher); Gadsden (7 miles, rent 23% lower); Boaz (19 miles, rent 37% lower); Saks (20 miles, rent 14% lower). Rent differences are against Rainbow City; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Alabama (395) →State guide: AlabamaCountry guideEtowah CountyAlabama rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 395 federal postings open in Alabama (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Alabama →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 1,210 | 1.68 | $77,810 | $58,460 | $91,540 | -20% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,130 | 1.36 | $28,300 | $21,530 | $43,210 | -20% |
| Cashiers | 910 | 1.37 | $25,750 | $19,680 | $31,340 | -22% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 810 | 0.99 | $22,770 | $18,950 | $29,840 | -27% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 770 | 1.27 | $31,270 | $27,250 | $41,980 | -16% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 670 | 1.83 | $38,860 | $27,840 | $57,910 | -18% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 630 | 4.59 | $25,900 | $21,720 | $34,800 | -16% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 620 | 2.06 | $34,100 | $28,810 | $44,520 | -24% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 560 | 1.16 | $24,030 | $16,160 | $31,220 | -32% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 540 | 1.22 | $54,410 | $37,350 | $73,290 | -7% |
| Nursing Assistants | 540 | 1.75 | $30,440 | $28,890 | $37,490 | -28% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 530 | 0.85 | $31,960 | $24,080 | $42,270 | -21% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 460 | 0.50 | $27,450 | $22,270 | $36,220 | -23% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 460 | 1.91 | $38,390 | $23,620 | $74,410 | -21% |
| Medical Assistants | 450 | 2.57 | $34,250 | $29,210 | $36,660 | -25% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 430 | 2.08 | $34,670 | $28,550 | $47,590 | -25% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 420 | 1.61 | $34,170 | $27,190 | $47,410 | -22% |
| General and Operations Managers | 400 | 0.54 | $91,470 | $46,750 | $196,970 | -14% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 400 | 1.32 | $28,790 | $22,950 | $35,870 | -23% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 340 | 0.60 | $35,450 | $27,400 | $49,460 | -21% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 1,210 | 1.68 | $77,810 | $58,460 | $91,540 | -20% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 540 | 1.22 | $54,410 | $37,350 | $73,290 | -7% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 670 | 1.83 | $38,860 | $27,840 | $57,910 | -18% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 620 | 2.06 | $34,100 | $28,810 | $44,520 | -24% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 530 | 0.85 | $31,960 | $24,080 | $42,270 | -21% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 770 | 1.27 | $31,270 | $27,250 | $41,980 | -16% |
| Nursing Assistants | 540 | 1.75 | $30,440 | $28,890 | $37,490 | -28% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,130 | 1.36 | $28,300 | $21,530 | $43,210 | -20% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 630 | 4.59 | $25,900 | $21,720 | $34,800 | -16% |
| Cashiers | 910 | 1.37 | $25,750 | $19,680 | $31,340 | -22% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 560 | 1.16 | $24,030 | $16,160 | $31,220 | -32% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 810 | 0.99 | $22,770 | $18,950 | $29,840 | -27% |
These figures are for the whole Gadsden, AL metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $36,660 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.8% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 17.2% |
| Education and health care | 16.7% |
| Retail trade | 16.3% |
| Construction | 11.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 7.4% |
| Other services | 4.4% |
| Public administration | 4.1% |
| Information | 3.7% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 3.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.7% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Rainbow City lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etowah County | 103,105 | $4,026 million | $39,044 | 33,010 | 2,439 | $46,564 | +1.1% | 3.8% | 42,026 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 6,994 | 25.1% | $56,095 | 1.48 |
| Retail trade | 4,813 | 17.2% | $32,677 | 1.46 |
| Manufacturing | 4,344 | 15.6% | $50,886 | 1.60 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,561 | 12.8% | $20,496 | 1.19 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,824 | 6.5% | $41,284 | 0.94 |
| Construction | 1,078 | 3.9% | $58,648 | 0.62 |
| Wholesale trade | 950 | 3.4% | $63,953 | 0.73 |
| Finance and insurance | 935 | 3.3% | $68,074 | 0.70 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 825 | 3.0% | $59,316 | 0.59 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 737 | 2.6% | $49,160 | 0.74 |
| Professional and technical services | 603 | 2.2% | $56,800 | 0.26 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 361 | 1.3% | $18,004 | 0.65 |
| Educational services | 275 | 1.0% | $30,824 | 0.40 |
| Real estate and rental | 251 | 0.9% | $42,757 | 0.49 |
| Information | 153 | 0.5% | $53,734 | 0.25 |
| Utilities | 126 | 0.5% | $118,290 | 1.00 |
| Management of companies | 89 | 0.3% | $106,758 | 0.16 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 78.4% |
| Public transit | 1.4% |
| Walk | 0.0% |
| Work from home | 8.0% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 25.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,398 |
| Income per person | $39,440 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,048 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 22.3% |
| Median home value | $223,000 |
| Homeowners | 65.6% |
| Poverty rate | 10.0% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 85.7 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $36,660 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 5.00%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 41.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 83.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 20.8% |
| Born abroad | 4.9% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 55.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.8 | 41 | 114 |
| Feb | 6.9 | 44 | 131 |
| Mar | 11.5 | 53 | 125 |
| Apr | 16.1 | 61 | 115 |
| May | 20.7 | 69 | 117 |
| Jun | 25.1 | 77 | 104 |
| Jul | 26.9 | 80 | 116 |
| Aug | 26.6 | 80 | 100 |
| Sep | 23.3 | 74 | 96 |
| Oct | 17.1 | 63 | 84 |
| Nov | 10.6 | 51 | 102 |
| Dec | 6.5 | 44 | 140 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southside | AL | 5 mi | 9,483 | $76,487 | $1,184 |
| Gadsden | AL | 7 mi | 33,374 | $40,345 | $808 |
| Boaz | AL | 19 mi | 10,814 | $49,846 | $663 |
| Saks | AL | 20 mi | 10,681 | $49,753 | $898 |
| Jacksonville | AL | 21 mi | 14,437 | $51,814 | $820 |
| Anniston | AL | 24 mi | 21,271 | $46,668 | $799 |
| Albertville | AL | 24 mi | 22,813 | $56,099 | $872 |
| Oxford | AL | 26 mi | 22,063 | $74,268 | $925 |
| Pell City | AL | 27 mi | 13,587 | $68,638 | $1,099 |
| Moody | AL | 33 mi | 13,488 | $86,627 | $1,553 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
10,284 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,048 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 22.3% of the median household income.
$56,398 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.8% (BLS county, Etowah County (latest month 2026M09)).
Alabama. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.