Rainbow City

Rainbow City Sculpture Rainbow City is located in Etowah County in northeastern Alabama, just south of Gadsden along the Coosa River. Rainbow City has a mayor/council form of government. The city is named for U.S. Highway 411, known locally as Rainbow Drive, which runs through the town center.

Early History

The area that now includes Rainbow City was first settled in 1818, when farming families from the Carolinas and Georgia began to migrate westward in search of new agricultural and mercantile opportunities. The land on which the city now sits belonged to early settler Edmond Jones. At the time, it was known as Coosa Bend, for its location along the river; the town was later known as Morgan’s Cross Road for its location on important trade routes between Gadsden and Ashville and the landing at Gilbert’s Ferry. By the 1830s, the town had its first school and church. The town was not incorporated officially until 1950, at which time it became known as Rainbow City.

Demographics

According to 2020 Census estimates, Rainbow City recorded a population of 9,601. Of that number, 83.0 percent of respondents identified themselves as white, 9.9 percent as African American, 4.1 percent as Hispanic, 2.9 percent as Asian, and 2.6 percent as two or more races. The town’s median household income was $48,644, and the per capita income was $29,004.

Employment

According to 2020 Census estimates, the workforce in Rainbow City was divided among the following industrial categories:

  • Educational services and health care and social assistance (28.5 percent)
  • Retail trade (16.8 percent)
  • Manufacturing (13.2 percent)
  • Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services (9.1 percent)
  • Construction (7.1 percent)
  • Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services (6.0 percent)
  • Other services, except public administration (5.2 percent)
  • Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing (4.0 percent)
  • Public administration (3.6 percent)
  • Transportation and warehousing, and utilities (3.1 percent)
  • Wholesale trade (2.4 percent)
  • Information (1.0 percent)

Education

Rainbow City schools are part of the Etowah County Schools and include one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school. Gadsden State Community College is located six miles from the town.

Transportation

Rainbow City is bisected by State Highway 77, which runs north-south through the city, and U.S. Highway 411, which runs northeast-southwest. The Interstate 759 spur connects the city to Interstate 59 to the west. Northeast Alabama Regional Airport serves general aviation needs in the area.

Events and Places of Interest

The Vivian Lee Maddox Sports Complex has facilities for baseball and softball as well as an 18-hole disc golf course. Hidden Oaks Golf Course is a nine-hole public facility that opened in 2001. Rainbow City Play Park is a large playground in the northwestern side of town.

External Links

Share this Article