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 Moderate-density area
- $68,056
- Median income Near-median income area
- $221,600
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 24.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 35986 (Rainsville, AL) rose +10.6% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 196.6 in 2023 to 217.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average Alabama ZIP), while per-capita income is $34,065. The poverty rate is 8.0%, with unemployment at 1.0%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $221,600 (25% above the average Alabama ZIP), while 89.5% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $558.
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. The page also surfaces 7 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in DeKalb County, so 35986 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
44 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
28 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
24 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
18 establishments
- Finance and insurance 14
Finance and insurance
14 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, 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
Who lives in ZIP 35986?
46.8
Median Age
52.7%
Male
47.3%
Female
3.2%
Foreign-Born
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 ZIP avg
$34,065
Per Capita Income
8.0%
Poverty Rate
1.0%
Unemployment Rate
20.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 35986 ranks among Alabama ZIPs
Rainsville, AL household income vs. every Alabama ZIP code
Median household income among 587 reporting Alabama ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$68,056 Top 31% higher than 69% of 587 Alabama ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Alabama 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
3,766housing units
3,766
Total Housing Units
3,464
Occupied Units
302
Vacant Units
2.37
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$221,600
Median Home Value
+25% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 35967
Fort Payne (35967)
16,630 residents
- 35986
Rainsville (35986)
7,744 residents
- 35978 5,390
Henagar (35978)
5,390 residents
- 35971 4,914
Fyffe (35971)
4,914 residents
- 35968 4,575
Fort Payne (35968)
4,575 residents
- 35744 2,570
Dutton (35744)
2,570 residents
- 35988 1,940
Sylvania (35988)
1,940 residents
- 35963 1,704
Dawson (35963)
1,704 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 35986 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 35986 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 35986
Rainsville (35986)
$68,056 median income
- 35963
Dawson (35963)
$59,926 median income
- 35971
Fyffe (35971)
$58,528 median income
- 35978
Henagar (35978)
$55,509 median income
- 35744
Dutton (35744)
$54,868 median income
- 35988
Sylvania (35988)
$53,684 median income
- 35967
Fort Payne (35967)
$47,051 median income
- 35968
Fort Payne (35968)
$43,539 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 35986, both outside AL so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (7,744 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in DeKalb County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 35986's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 35986 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Rainsville, AL ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.