Rainford lies on a fertile agricultural plain and is effectively an urban island surrounded by large scale farming, mainly arable, but with some livestock herds.

There are three smaller villages which are near to Rainford – King's Moss to the east, Crawford to the north-east and Crank to the south-east.

Whilst other towns in the area made pipes, the industry in Rainford started earlier and continued longer.

Passengers wishing to travel to Liverpool must change at Headbolt Lane onto the Merseyrail electrified line.

This results in excellent road links, and the village therefore has many inhabitants who commute to the nearby cities of Liverpool and Manchester and to St Helens.

HTL Buses operate the 152 from St Helens to Rainford with a few services extended to Ormskirk.

[4] Rainford has many noted public houses, including the Bottle and Glass, the Junction Hotel, the Star Inn, the Derby Arms, the Golden Lion, and the Eagle and Child.

2021 was headlined by From The Jam, 2022 by Chesney Hawkes, and 2023 by Scouting For Girls Rainford Silver Band is highly regarded, and has won many contests[citation needed] A 'walking day' takes place every year in June and a fairground is set up behind the Golden Lion public house, in which the silver band participate.

The area has a history of Nonconformism, and was a stronghold of Recusancy from the Reformation until the Catholic Emancipation Act of 1832.

This new course contains 18 holes, a golf academy, restaurant and conference centre[12] and was opened in the summer of 2009.