Rainbow City, Alabama
City
City of Rainbow City
Location of Rainbow City in Etowah County, Alabama
Location of Rainbow City in Etowah County, Alabama
Coordinates: 33°56′38″N 86°3′42″W / 33.94389°N 86.06167°W / 33.94389; -86.06167
CountryUnited States
StateAlabama
CountyEtowah
Area
[1]
 • Total25.92 sq mi (67.13 km2)
 • Land25.58 sq mi (66.25 km2)
 • Water0.34 sq mi (0.88 km2)
Elevation
[2]
518 ft (158 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total10,191
 • Density398.41/sq mi (153.83/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes
35901, 35906
Area code256
FIPS code01-63288
GNIS feature ID2404588[2]
Websitewww.rbcalabama.com

Rainbow City is a city in Etowah County, Alabama, United States. It incorporated in 1950.[3] The population was 9,602 at the 2010 census.[4] It is part of the Gadsden Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

This city was named after U.S. Highway 411, called Rainbow Drive, which runs through the middle of the city.[5]

Hernando de Soto's troops were the first visitors to the area in 1540. In 1818, families from the Carolinas and Georgia began to migrate to the area and homestead land near the Coosa River, calling the area "Coosa Bend". This area was later called "Morgan's Cross Road", located at the intersection of the Gadsden-Ashville Road and Gilbert's Ferry Road.[6]

John Sheffield Jones, the grandson of an original settler, donated $1,000 and the land for the construction of the first John S. Jones Elementary School. This school later burned to the ground; a new elementary school was built and serves the Rainbow City area today.[6]

On April 2, 1831, a church was organized at the Harmony Meeting House. A few years later, the first Baptist association was organized. Harmony was one of the first five members in the association. The adjoining cemetery, Old Harmony Cemetery, has been declared a historic landmark.[6]

Education

The city is served by the Etowah County Board of Education. The city has one public elementary school, and shares a middle and high school with neighboring Southside. There is also a private school for the city.

John S. Jones is one of several elementary schools in the area. It houses grades K-5.

Southside High School

Southside is the shared high school for the area of Southside and Rainbow City. It houses grades 9–12.

Westbrook Christian School

Westbrook is a private school that houses grades PreK-12.

Geography

Rainbow City is located in southern Etowah County at 33°56′38″N 86°3′42″W / 33.94389°N 86.06167°W / 33.94389; -86.06167 (33.943964, −86.061546).[7] It is bordered to the northeast by Gadsden, the county seat, to the southeast by the Coosa River, across which is the city of Southside, and to the southwest, across Little Canoe Creek, by the town of Steele in St. Clair County.[8]

U.S. Route 411 (Rainbow Drive) is the main road through the city, leading northeast 6 miles (10 km) to the center of Gadsden and southwest 15 miles (24 km) to Ashville. Alabama State Route 77 (Grand Avenue) crosses US 411 in the center of Rainbow City, leading northwest 4 miles (6 km) to Interstate 59 at Exit 181 and south 26 miles (42 km) to Lincoln.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Rainbow City has a total area of 25.6 square miles (66.3 km2), of which 25.4 square miles (65.9 km2) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.4 km2), or 0.58%, is water.[4]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
19601,625—
19703,10791.2%
19806,299102.7%
19907,67321.8%
20008,4289.8%
20109,60213.9%
202010,1916.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]

2000 census

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 8,428 people, 3,586 households, and 2,517 families residing in the city. The population density was 335.3 inhabitants per square mile (129.5/km2). There were 3,824 housing units at an average density of 152.1 per square mile (58.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.09% White, 3.51% Black or African American, 0.34% Native American, 1.45% Asian, 0.51% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. 1.45% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,586 households, out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.8% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.84.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.0% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,216, and the median income for a family was $50,844. Males had a median income of $38,278 versus $26,483 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,860. About 6.9% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.7% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the census[11] of 2010, there were 9,602 people, 4,113 households, and 2,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 333.1 inhabitants per square mile (128.6/km2). There were 4,534 housing units at an average density of 179.2 per square mile (69.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 87.4% White, 7.2% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 2.6% Asian, 1.0% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. 2.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,113 households, out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.9% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,236, and the median income for a family was $60,000. Males had a median income of $45,593 versus $32,421 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,422. About 10.5% of families and 12.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.1% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

2020 census

Rainbow City racial composition[12]
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 7,984 78.34%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 1,113 10.92%
Native American 24 0.24%
Asian 323 3.17%
Pacific Islander 7 0.07%
Other/mixed 458 4.49%
Hispanic or Latino 282 2.77%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 10,191 people, 3,847 households, and 2,508 families residing in the city.

Politics and government

The current mayor of Rainbow City is Joe Taylor,[13] who was first elected in 2020.[14][15] The Current City Council consists of Anita Bedwell, Randy Vice, Clark Hopper, Jeff Prince, and Jameson Jenkins.

Notable people

References

  1. ↑ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  2. 1 2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Rainbow City, Alabama
  3. ↑ "Rainbow City". Encyclopedia of Alabama.
  4. 1 2 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Rainbow City city, Alabama". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  5. ↑ Smith, Katie (June 17, 1984). "Names often lend special air to places". Gadsden Times. pp. B1. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 "History". City of Rainbow City. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  7. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  8. ↑ Holmes, Kwame A. (August 26, 2011). Chocolate to Rainbow City: the dialectics of black and gay community formation in postwar Washington, D.C., 1946-1978 (Thesis). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
  9. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
  10. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  11. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Office of the Mayor". Rainbow City Alabama official website.
  14. ↑ "Rainbow City History". Rainbow City Alabama official website.
  15. ↑ Joshua Price (July 27, 2012). "Calhoun running for third term as RBC mayor".

33°56′38″N 86°03′42″W / 33.943964°N 86.061546°W / 33.943964; -86.061546

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