35986 ZIP Code — Rainsville, AL

De Kalb County, Alabama

ZIP code 35986 is located in Rainsville, Alabama, within De Kalb County. It covers approximately 43.07 square miles and serves a population of 8,415 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 256.

About ZIP code 35986

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 2000s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $192,400. Owner-occupancy is high at 81%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $60,755. 35% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 22 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 22% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (24%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 35986 reflects a community defined by high homeownership and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

8,415

population

43.07

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

35986 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 35986

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 35986. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Rainsville	Acceptable
Rainsville	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

35968 Fort Payne (2 mi) 35988 Sylvania (3.9 mi) 35971 Fyffe (7.7 mi) 35744 Dutton (8 mi) 35967 Fort Payne (10.3 mi) 35771 Section (10.3 mi) 35978 Henagar (10.7 mi) 35765 Pisgah (11.5 mi) 35963 Dawson (12.2 mi) 35989 Valley Head (13.3 mi) 35984 Mentone (14.7 mi) 35974 Geraldine (15.1 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	8,415
Population density	195 / sq mi
State FIPS	01
County FIPS	049

Geography
Land area	43.07 sq mi
Water area	0.02 sq mi
Latitude	34.5144
Longitude	-85.8299
Timezone	Central (CT)
Area code	256

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	50.9%	57.3%	48.3%
$50k – $100k	34.3%	29.4%	29.3%
$100k – $200k	14.2%	11.1%	18.0%
Over $200k	0.5%	2.2%	4.4%

Demographics & statistics

8,415

Population

195

People per sq mi

42.7

Median age

$60,755

Median household income

$26,692

Per capita income

$192,400

Median home value

$646

Median monthly rent

80.8%

Home ownership

15.8%

Poverty rate

1.6%

Unemployment

2,933

Housing units

21.6%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

295

Under 5

250

301

5–9

254

253

10–14

213

331

15–19

280

334

20–24

282

475

25–34

401

465

35–44

393

554

45–54

469

360

55–59

305

377

60–64

319

644

65–74

545

137

75–84

115

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	2,048	24.3%
18 and over	6,367	75.7%
65 and over	1,504	17.9%
Median age	42.7 years

Race & ethnicity

White 77%

Hispanic or Latino 7.9%

Two or more races 6.9%

Other race 6.4%

American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%

Black or African American 0.7%

Group	Count	%
White	7,037	77%
Hispanic or Latino	724	7.9%
Two or more races	628	6.9%
Other race	589	6.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	97	1.1%
Black or African American	64	0.7%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	50.9%	57.3%	48.3%
$50k – $100k	34.3%	29.4%	29.3%
$100k – $200k	14.2%	11.1%	18.0%
Over $200k	0.5%	2.2%	4.4%

Under $10k 4.3%

$10k–$15k 10.4%

$15k–$25k 8.1%

$25k–$35k 11.0%

$35k–$50k 8.1%

$50k–$75k 15.2%

$75k–$100k 18.0%

$100k–$150k 17.9%

$150k–$200k 6.0%

$200k+ 1.0%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	4.3%
$10k–$15k	10.4%
$15k–$25k	8.1%
$25k–$35k	11.0%
$35k–$50k	8.1%
$50k–$75k	15.2%
$75k–$100k	18.0%
$100k–$150k	17.9%
$150k–$200k	6.0%
$200k+	1.0%
Median income	$60,755

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 5.4%

$50k–$100k 13.9%

$100k–$150k 14.4%

$150k–$200k 20.1%

$200k–$300k 22.8%

$300k–$500k 19.8%

$500k–$1M 3.7%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$192,400
Median rent / month	$646
Owner occupied	80.8%
Renter occupied	19.2%
Vacant	12.7%
Single-family detached	76.8%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	12.1%
Median rooms	6.4
Avg household size (owned)	2.74

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.6%
2010–2019	6.2%
2000–2009	26.3%
1990–1999	18.8%
1980–1989	16.9%
1970–1979	12.7%
1960–1969	12.9%
1950–1959	3.2%
1940–1949	0.0%
1939 or earlier	2.4%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.8%
1 bedroom	2.4%
2 bedrooms	22.2%
3 bedrooms	56.0%
4 bedrooms	15.2%
5+ bedrooms	3.3%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	5.5%
1 vehicle	18.3%
2 vehicles	37.6%
3 or more	38.7%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	18.3%
Electricity	73.7%
Propane / LP gas	5.2%
Wood	0.7%
No fuel used	0.8%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	2,075	67.4%
Cohabiting couple	86	2.8%
Male householder, no spouse	315	10.2%
Female householder, no spouse	601	19.5%
Households with children under 18	844	27.4%
Households with seniors (65+)	1,019	33.1%
Average household size	2.73

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	26.5%	16.9%
Married	59.8%	62.7%
Separated	3.8%	1.6%
Widowed	3.0%	8.2%
Divorced	7.0%	10.6%

Education

Less than 9th grade 10.5%

Some HS, no diploma 5.6%

HS graduate 28.0%

Some college, no degree 24.0%

Associate's degree 10.2%

Bachelor's degree 14.6%

Graduate / professional 7.1%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	83.8%
Bachelor's or higher	21.6%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	59	3.1%
Kindergarten	194	10.2%
Elementary school	757	39.8%
High school	558	29.3%
College / grad school	335	17.6%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 24.8%

Manufacturing 22.8%

Information 10.1%

Construction 9.0%

Professional & management 7.5%

Retail trade 6.0%

Finance & real estate 5.3%

Transportation & utilities 4.2%

Arts, food & hospitality 3.7%

Other services 3.3%

Public administration 2.3%

Wholesale trade 1.0%

Agriculture & mining 0.2%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	37.2%
Service	9.3%
Sales & office	15.8%
Natural resources & construction	12.0%
Production & transportation	25.8%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	83.4%
Government	12.8%
Self-employed	3.8%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	88.0%
Carpool	7.8%
Public transit	0.8%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	3.4%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	21.5

Poverty

All people 15.8%

Under 18 years 31.8%

18 and over 10.8%

Married-couple families 4.9%

Female-led households 28.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	35.1%
Retirement income	23.1%
Supplemental Security	8.2%
Cash public assistance	0.4%
Food stamps / SNAP	16.3%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	41.6%
High blood pressure	41.7%
High cholesterol	37.8%
Diabetes	13.2%
Heart disease	8.6%
Stroke	4.2%
Asthma	10.4%
Arthritis	35.2%
Kidney disease	3.6%
Pulmonary disease	11.6%
Cancer	6.9%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	23.6%
Binge drinking	14.7%
No physical activity	31.4%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	36.5%
Depression	28.5%
Fair or poor health	22.9%
Poor mental health	18.2%
Poor physical health	14.7%
No health insurance	18.5%
Visited doctor (checkup)	71.8%
Visited dentist	54.1%
Cholesterol screening	88.2%
Teeth loss	21.5%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	321	5.0%

Disability	%
Any disability	14.6%
Under 18	4.3%
18–64 years	13.2%
65 and over	33.4%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	68.7%
Public insurance	40.0%
No insurance	7.3%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	7,870	93.5%
Spanish	257	3.3%
Other Indo-European	257	3.3%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	8,120	96.5%
Born in same state	8,102	96.3%
Born in different state	6,407	76.1%
Foreign born	18	0.2%
Naturalized citizen	295	3.5%
Not a US citizen	15	5.1%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	1,197	14.2%
Arab	1,103	13.1%
Italian	736	8.7%

Ancestry	Count	%
English	76	0.9%
Polish	48	0.6%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	36.6%
Internet access	93.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 35986

What city is ZIP code 35986 in?

ZIP code 35986 is primarily assigned to Rainsville, Alabama.

What county is ZIP code 35986 in?

ZIP code 35986 falls within De Kalb County, Alabama.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 35986?

16% of residents in ZIP code 35986 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Is ZIP code 35986 mostly owner-occupied?

81% of occupied units in ZIP code 35986 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

Does ZIP code 35986 have a large retiree population?

35% of households in ZIP code 35986 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 35986?

The median home value in ZIP code 35986 is $192,400.

What timezone is ZIP code 35986 in?

ZIP code 35986 observes the CST timezone.