PlainZIP

Rainsville, AL · standard

ZIP Code 35986

DeKalb County, Alabama - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

7,744
66/sq mi
$68,056
Median income
$221,600
Median home value
24.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Rainsville pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

44th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 50%
home value, US ZIPs
66
people per sq mi
90%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 35986 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 35986 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Rainsville, DeKalb County, Alabama, home to 7,744 residents across 117.2 square miles, a density of 66 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 35986 reports a modest median household income of $68,056 (12% above the Alabama average), while per-capita income is $34,065. Poverty here runs at 8.0%, with unemployment measured at 1.0%. Median home value sits at $221,600 (25% above the state average), median rent at $558 a month, and owner-occupancy at 89.5%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 24.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.8, and the average commute is 21 minutes. To put 35986 in local context, 7 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in DeKalb County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 35986

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Rainsville, AL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 35986.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 35986, Rainsville, AL · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

7,744

Population

117.2

Area (sq mi)

66

People / sq mi

Chicago

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 35986?

46.8

Median Age

52.7%

Male

47.3%

Female

3.2%

Foreign-Born

White 89.0%
African American 1.0%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.6%
Hispanic or Latino 4.1%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$68,056

Median Household Income

+12% vs state

$34,065

Per Capita Income

8.0%

Poverty Rate

1.0%

Unemployment Rate

20.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 35986 ranks nationally

Rainsville, AL household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$68,056 44th percentile higher than 44% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. 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 · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 51.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

3,766

Total Housing Units

3,464

Occupied Units

302

Vacant Units

2.37

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 89.5%
Renter 10.5%

$221,600

Median Home Value

+25% vs state

$558

Median Rent

1992

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+10.6%

YoY Change (2024)

217

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+117%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 35986 have increased 10.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +117% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.2% 148
2021 +11.2% 165
2022 +13.2% 187
2023 +5.3% 197
2024 +10.6% 217

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 185 business establishments in ZIP 35986, employing approximately 2,571 people with a combined annual payroll of $110,537,000.

185

Businesses

2,571

Employees

$110.5M

Annual Payroll

12

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 44 23.8%
Health care and social assistance 28 15.1%
Other services (except public administration) 24 13.0%
Accommodation and food services 18 9.7%
Finance and insurance 14 7.6%
Construction 13 7.0%
Manufacturing 13 7.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 8 4.3%
Information 5 2.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 5 2.7%
Wholesale trade 3 1.6%
Transportation and warehousing 3 1.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 35986 vs 35968 →

ZIP 35986 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 35986 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 35986 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 35986 ranks the highest of 8 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
35968 Fort Payne, AL 4,575 4.4 mi
35988 Sylvania, AL 1,940 4.6 mi
35971 Fyffe, AL 4,914 6.8 mi
35744 Dutton, AL 2,570 8.4 mi
35963 Dawson, AL 1,704 11.0 mi
35967 Fort Payne, AL 16,630 10.8 mi
35978 Henagar, AL 5,390 11.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in DeKalb County

35967 standard
Fort Payne, AL
Pop: 16,630
35962 standard
Crossville, AL
Pop: 8,300
35978 standard
Henagar, AL
Pop: 5,390
35971 standard
Fyffe, AL
Pop: 4,914
35968 standard
Fort Payne, AL
Pop: 4,575
35989 standard
Valley Head, AL
Pop: 3,573

Related Areas

DeKalb County Rainsville, AL Alabama

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 35986 in? ▼
ZIP code 35986 (Rainsville) is located in DeKalb County, Alabama. DeKalb County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/dekalb-al.
What is the population of ZIP code 35986? ▼
ZIP code 35986 in Rainsville, AL has a population of 7,744 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 35986? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 35986 is $68,056, which is 11% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 35986? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 35986 is $221,600, which is 20% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 35986? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 35986 is White at 89.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 35986? ▼
ZIP code 35986 has 185 business establishments employing approximately 2,571 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 35986? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 35986 are: Retail trade (44), Health care and social assistance (28), Other services (except public administration) (24). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 35986? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 35986 increased by 10.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 117%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 35986? ▼
In ZIP code 35986, 51.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.9% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 35986? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 35986 is 20.9 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 35986? ▼
In ZIP code 35986, approximately 89.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 10.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35986? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 35986 is 8.0% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

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