thumb|Rainbow, CA
Rainbow is a census-designated place (CDP) in northern San Diego County, California. The population was 1,884 at the 2020 census, up from 1,832 at the 2010 census.
History
The area, previously known as "Vallecitos" (little valleys), was renamed "Rainbow Valley" in the late 1880s, after Mr. James Peebles Marshall Rainbow, who bought a homestead there.
In October 2007, the Santa Ana winds fueled a major wildfire in the area.
The town has many palm tree farms, and is a gateway to the city of Temecula.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all land.
Demographics
Rainbow was first listed as a census designated place in the 1980 U.S. census.
!Pop 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |Pop 2020
!% 2000
!% 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020
|-
|White alone (NH)
|1,463
|1,062
|style='background: #ffffe6; |986
|72.21%
|57.97%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |52.34%
|-
|Black or African American alone (NH)
|3
|18
|style='background: #ffffe6; |17
|0.15%
|0.98%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.90%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)
|14
|8
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7
|0.69%
|0.44%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.37%
|-
|Asian alone (NH)
|49
|43
|style='background: #ffffe6; |71
|2.42%
|2.35%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.77%
|-
|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)
|16
|11
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.79%
|0.60%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|Other race alone (NH)
|6
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |12
|0.30%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.64%
|-
|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)
|33
|25
|style='background: #ffffe6; |74
|1.63%
|1.36%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.93%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|442
|665
|style='background: #ffffe6; |717
|21.82%
|36.30%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |38.06%
|-
|Total
|2,026
|1,832
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,884
|100.00%
|100.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%
|}
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Rainbow had a population of 1,884. The population density was .
The age distribution was 327 people (17.4%) under the age of 18, 143 people (7.6%) aged 18 to 24, 450 people (23.9%) aged 25 to 44, 485 people (25.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 479 people (25.4%) who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 46.4years. For every 100 females, there were 96.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.
There were 701 housing units at an average density of , of which 651 (92.9%) were occupied. Of these, 485 (74.5%) were owner-occupied, and 166 (25.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8%, and the rental vacancy rate was 6.6%.
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
2010
At the 2010 census Rainbow had a population of 1,832. The population density was . The racial makeup of Rainbow was 1,324 (72.3%) White, 19 (1.0%) African American, 12 (0.7%) Native American, 43 (2.3%) Asian, 12 (0.7%) Pacific Islander, 371 (20.3%) from other races, and 51 (2.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 665 people (36.3%).
The census reported that 1,745 people (95.3% of the population) lived in households, no one lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and 87 (4.7%) were institutionalized.
There were 644 households, 173 (26.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 375 (58.2%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 39 (6.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 26 (4.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 26 (4.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 5 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 163 households (25.3%) were one person and 81 (12.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.71. There were 440 families (68.3% of households); the average family size was 3.20.
The age distribution was 343 people (18.7%) under the age of 18, 153 people (8.4%) aged 18 to 24, 412 people (22.5%) aged 25 to 44, 555 people (30.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 369 people (20.1%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 45.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.
There were 719 housing units at an average density of 65.1 per square mile, of the occupied units 475 (73.8%) were owner-occupied and 169 (26.2%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.1%. 1,230 people (67.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 515 people (28.1%) lived in rental housing units.
Government
In the California State Legislature, Rainbow is in , and in .
In the United States House of Representatives, Rainbow is in .