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City · 5,702 residents · DeKalb County, Alabama

Rainsville , Alabama

In Rainsville, a typical home is worth $230,400 and typical rent is $519 a month. Compared with all of DeKalb County, the typical home value is 51% higher, typical household income is 45% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 11 points higher.

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  • Typical home value

    $230,400

    51% above the county

    10% above Alabama

    • Rainsville
    • DeKalb
    • Alabama

  • Typical rent

    $519a month

    25% below the county

    48% below Alabama

    • Rainsville
    • DeKalb
    • Alabama

  • Typical household income

    $74,046a year

    45% above the county

    16% above Alabama

    • Rainsville
    • DeKalb
    • Alabama

  • Households that own their home

    89%

    11 points above the county

    19 points above Alabama

    • Rainsville
    • DeKalb
    • Alabama

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$232,498
4.8% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Rainsville is in DeKalb County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of DeKalb County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Rainsville apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Rainsville has the lowest typical rent of the 117 cities in Alabama with more than 5,000 people: $519.

  2. The typical home in Rainsville is worth $230,400, 51% more than in DeKalb County as a whole ($152,700).

  3. The typical household income in Rainsville is $74,046, 45% more than in DeKalb County as a whole ($51,204).

  4. Nearby, in Fort Payne, the typical home value is $157,000: 32% less than in Rainsville ($230,400).

  5. 89% of households in Rainsville own their home, against 78% in DeKalb County.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Rainsville

What homes there are in Rainsville, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

The detached house rules in Rainsville: 87% of homes, more than in DeKalb County (71%).

Year built

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

With an FHA limit of $541,287, at least 96% of owner-occupied homes in Rainsville sit below it: they are worth less than $500,000.

Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,291 a month

DeKalb County: $1,167 a month

Without a mortgage

$429 a month

DeKalb County: $393 a month

Owners with a mortgage

47%

DeKalb County: 40%

Owning costs more in Rainsville: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $1,291 a month; in DeKalb County, $1,167. Without one, $429.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Since 2015–2019, homes in Rainsville gained value faster than in DeKalb County: 111% against 44%.

The typical rent in Rainsville stayed about the same over that time: the difference is within the Census margin of error.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureRainsvilleDeKalb CountyAlabamaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate7.2%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1.1%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate4.4%1.7%3.4%
People per household 2.252.732.482.53
Drive alone 94%83%81%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate11%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Work from home Unreliable estimate4%9%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Fewer people live in each home here: 2.25 on average, against 2.73 in DeKalb County.

To get to work, 94% of workers in Rainsville drive alone; in DeKalb County, 83%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Rainsville?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Rainsville, worth $230,400, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 29% of the typical household income in Rainsville, which is $74,046 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $76,630 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of DeKalb County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Rainsville. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $8,064 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,788

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$226,227
Total interest
$325,487
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $3,891 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,728 a month

  • Tight

    $1,728 to $2,221 a month

    Your payment · 29%

  • Hard

    more than $2,221 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Rainsville ($74,046 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,788
Principal & interest$1,533
Property tax$58
Home insurance$96
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$102

You need at least $8,064 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Rainsville and DeKalb County

Rainsville is in DeKalb County, Alabama. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Rainsville's own numbers

Typical home value
$230,400
Typical monthly rent
$519
Typical yearly household income
$74,046
Households that own their home
89%
Effective property tax rate
0.3%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of DeKalb County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$921
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+65%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.6%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of DeKalb County.

Everything about DeKalb County

Buying

Buying a home in Rainsville

A typical home in Rainsville is worth $230,400: 51% above the county and 10% above Alabama. With the typical household income in Rainsville ($74,046 a year), a typical home costs 3.1 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Rainsville 3.1 years
  • DeKalb 3.0 years
  • Alabama 3.3 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in DeKalb County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in DeKalb County rose 100% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of DeKalb County.

Period County Alabama U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.6% +2.5% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +65% +47% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +100% +77% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Rainsville next to DeKalb County, Alabama and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Rainsville $230,400
  • DeKalb $152,700
  • Alabama $209,900
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Rainsville $519
  • DeKalb $693
  • Alabama $1,007
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Rainsville $74,046
  • DeKalb $51,204
  • Alabama $63,999
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Rainsville next to DeKalb County and Alabama
Measure Rainsville DeKalb County Alabama U.S.
Typical home value $230,400 $152,700 $209,900 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $519 $693 $1,007 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $74,046 $51,204 $63,999 $80,734
Households that own their home 89% 78% 70% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $683 $496 $788 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.3% 0.32% 0.38% 0.94%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below DeKalb County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Rainsville

For a typical $230,400 home in Rainsville, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Rainsville's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,788a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $8,064
    Cash to close
    $14,976
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $102

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,746a month

    Down payment
    $11,520
    Cash to close
    $18,432
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $109

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,402a month

    Down payment
    $46,080
    Cash to close
    $52,992
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,615a month

    Down payment
    $34,560
    Cash to close
    $41,472
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Rainsville and for DeKalb County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Rainsville

0.3%of the home’s value each year

$683 a year for the typical owner in Rainsville.

  • Rainsville 0.3%
  • DeKalb 0.32%
  • Alabama 0.38%

What Alabama publishes Basic homestead exemption (type H-1) (Alabama Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Alabama

Flood risk in DeKalb County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of DeKalb County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.6%
510
Of those, with NFIP insurance
7.3%
County Alabama U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.6% 3.2% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 7.3% 29% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Rainsville

Typical rent in Rainsville is $519 a month: 25% below the county.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of DeKalb County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($921 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $17.71 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of DeKalb County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $699 $13.44 $27,960
1 bedroom $704 $13.54 $28,160
2 bedrooms $921 $17.71 $36,840
3 bedrooms $1,154 $22.19 $46,160
4 bedrooms $1,539 $29.60 $61,560

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Rainsville

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Rainsville is in ZIP code 35986.

For 2 bedrooms it is $920: $1 less than the fair market rent for DeKalb County ($921).

  • 35986 $920$1,150

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Rainsville when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Rainsville

HUD lists 4 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Rainsville. These are the largest.

  • Northside Homes 11 Goggins Dr, Rainsville 35986 98 low-income homes · Run by Rainsville Housing Authority · Average payment: $382 a month · Average wait: 8 months (256) 593-9164
  • Jackson Square Apts 227 Circle Dr, Rainsville 35986 32 low-income homes · 1 bd: 12 · 2 bd: 20 · In service since 2000 · For older adults
  • Sandy Creek Apts 159 George Wallace Dr W, Rainsville 35986 24 low-income homes · 1 bd: 8 · 2 bd: 16 · In service since 1996 · For families
  • Sherwood Knoll 175 Circle Dr, Rainsville 35986 24 low-income homes · 1 bd: 4 · 2 bd: 16 · 3 bd: 4 · In service since 1993 · For people with disabilities, families

See all 17 buildings in DeKalb County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Rainsville

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in DeKalb County; none says it serves in Spanish.

A grandmother smiles, seated at home.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Rainsville

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Rainsville or DeKalb County. The ones below are statewide in Alabama: they work in Rainsville the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Alabama

  • Step Up

    Statewide in Alabama

    Alabama state authority program with down payment assistance of 4% of the price (up to $10,000) as a 10-year second mortgage, alongside a 30-year fixed mortgage. Offered by Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

  • First Step Mortgage Revenue Bonds

    Statewide in Alabama

    Alabama state authority 30-year low-rate mortgage, for first-time buyers and for people who have owned a home before, with down payment assistance of 4% of the price, up to $10,000, as a ten-year second mortgage. Offered by Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

  • Affordable Income Subsidy Grant

    Statewide in Alabama

    Alabama state authority grant for closing costs with an HFA Advantage conventional loan: 1% of the loan if you earn up to 50% of the area median, or half a percent if you earn 50% to 80%. Offered by Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA).

    Grant

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Rainsville

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Rainsville, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Community Action Agency of Northeast Alabama, Inc.

    1481 McCurdy Ave S, Rainsville · 2 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 3 more
    (256) 638-4430

  • Family Services Center, Inc.

    520 Madison St SE, Huntsville · 45 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 7 more
    (256) 551-1610

  • Community Action Partnership, Huntsville/Madison & Limestone Counties, Inc

    3516 Stringfield Rd NW, Huntsville · 49 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 7 more
    (256) 851-9800

Every agency in DeKalb County All counseling agencies in Alabama

Help in Spanish near Rainsville

None of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Rainsville

HUD’s record names them for Rainsville or DeKalb County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

3 other authorities have an office in DeKalb County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in DeKalb County

These cities are also in DeKalb County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about DeKalb County Housing in Alabama

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Rainsville, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If DeKalb County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Rainsville.

All guides
A family roasts marshmallows over a campfire at a forest campsite.

Questions

Housing questions about Rainsville

Short answers with the numbers for Rainsville and all of DeKalb County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Rainsville?

The typical home value in Rainsville is $230,400, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in DeKalb County it is $152,700.

How much does it cost to rent in Rainsville?

Typical rent in Rainsville is $519 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in DeKalb County is $921.

What is the FHA loan limit in Rainsville?

Rainsville uses the FHA limit for all of DeKalb County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Rainsville?

The typical homeowner in Rainsville pays $683 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.3% of the home’s value; in DeKalb County, the rate is 0.32%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Rainsville?

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in DeKalb County. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).