On CDC estimates, Rainbow City is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns
Rainbow City differs from Alabama on 5 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Rainbow City. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Rainbow City
Rainbow City looks healthier next to Alabama than next to the country
It’s healthier than 46% of the 187 Alabama towns we grade, but 24% of towns nationwide. Much of Alabama scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Cancer runs high in Rainbow City
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (9.9%), vs 8.2% across Alabama. Conditions ↓
Rainbow City is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Rainbow City is healthier than 24%. Against the 7,848 towns with similar household incomes ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 42%. Health Grade ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Alabama figure falls outside Rainbow City’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Rainbow City’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rainbow City is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns, #102 of 187 in Alabama. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 50% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 17%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Rainbow City’s median household income is $56,398; among the 7,848 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 42%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Few Alabama towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Rainbow City is healthier than 46% of graded towns, against 24% nationally.
Out of every 100 Rainbow City adults…
Rainbow City runs below AL on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Rainbow City
No hospital or community health center in Rainbow City itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Rainbow City; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Alabama
Share of adults, with the Alabama figure marked.
0.3 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Rainbow City adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alabama.
How Rainbow City adults are doing
About the same as Alabama on each measure.
1 in 3 Rainbow City adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
12% of Rainbow City adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14% across Alabama.
Rainbow City and the towns around it
Rainbow City’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow City | C− | 40.5% | 14.8% | 15.7% | CDC place |
| Gadsden | D− | 49% | 20.4% | 21.6% | CDC place |
| Steele | C+ | 38% | 12.8% | 14.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Rainbow City adults live with a disability (Alabama 36.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Rainbow City
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Rainbow City is better than Alabama on 4 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Alabama figure falls inside Rainbow City’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Rainbow City | AL | U.S. | vs AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.9%20.6–27.5 | 22.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.4–17.5 | 14.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%15.1–19.5 | 17.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.5%33.4–48.2 | 39.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.8%12.8–17 | 14.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 44.5%40.2–48.9 | 43.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.6%38.3–47.3 | 40.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.1%29.6–36.8 | 30.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10%8.8–11.4 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.9%8.9–10.9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.1%7.2–9.1 | 7.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.9%7.7–10.4 | 8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.7–4.6 | 4.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.6%9.5–13.9 | 15.4% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.7%13.3–18.6 | 15.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 30.6%25.7–35.9 | 28.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.9%11.4–16.7 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.2%35.1–47.5 | 39.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.8%8–11.8 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.4%77.2–83.5 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.2%58.6–65.8 | 56.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.1%84.2–88 | 85.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.7%75.9–81.3 | 78% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.2%64.7–73.5 | 67% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.6%68.1–82 | 77.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.3%20.9–28.3 | 23.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35%30–40.1 | 35.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.5%20–27.2 | 24.8% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.8%14.2–19.6 | 19.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.9%10.1–13.8 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8%6.8–9.2 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.7%7.5–9.9 | 9.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12%10–14.2 | 14% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39%34.2–44 | 36.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.1%15.6–20.7 | 17.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.6%14.4–18.8 | 16.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.5%8.4–10.8 | 8.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.7%5.1–6.4 | 6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10%8.8–11.4 | 9.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%3.9–5 | 4.6% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Alabama figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Rainbow City
Is Rainbow City a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rainbow City is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #102 of 187 in Alabama. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 42%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Rainbow City?
CDC estimates 40.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.4% and 48.2%, against 39.4% across Alabama and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Rainbow City?
Riverview Regional Medical Center in Gadsden, 7.0 miles in a straight line from Rainbow City’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Rainbow City have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8–11.8%), against 9.9% across Alabama.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Rainbow City more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Rainbow City.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Alabama figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.