The Rainier Beach neighborhood is home to over 5,000 residents. On most socio-economic indicators, Rainier Beach mirrors the rest of Southeast Seattle. It is an ethnically diverse neighborhood. Black/African-American households make up 30/8%, Asians 30.7%, Hispanic 13.2%, and Mixed Race 13.8% of the population. It has been home to a number of newly arrived immigrants, resulting in a changing mix of cultures and needs among the population. It also has fewer people who speak only English (42%) than the rest of Southeast Seattle (53%).
Thirty percent of the population are under 18, and 10% are over 65 years of age. Sixty-five percent of households are families. Of those, 54% are married couples with children under 18 and 39.5% are female headed households with children under 18.
Education levels are lower in Rainier Beach than in SE Seattle and the City, and there are fewer people (over age 16) in the labor force (53%). Poverty rates are higher – 21.8% families and 31.5% for non-family households.