RainMan was "High Functioning?"

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While I've haven't got the chance to see Rain Man, based on interpretations of the character Raymound on this forum and from other sources of information, he could be described as someone who would've been consider high functioning in the 1980s due to the unawareness of the disability, while in the present day he seems more low-functioning by the increase number of high functioning autisic/Aspergers population.

That is exactly what I think.
But regardless of how accurately or inaccurately you feel the character's Autism is portrayed, if you are able to look past that you should see the movie. It is a really beautiful movie. What I love most about it is how Tom Cruise's character, Raymond's younger brother Charlie, grows and develops and becomes a different person because of getting to know his brother. I think it's a very lovely story.

High functioning as per Lorna Wing. Aloof variant of social presentation. Which means the "severe" end of HFA/AS.

The character was based on several individuals with autism.

He isn't really that bad when you put thought into it. He lives in a hostel? Well yeah, because his parents put him there because he was autistic (and he accidentally hurt his "normal" and "superior" brother) . He could live at home with parents (like say, most of us). He doesn't work? Well, most of us don't either. All his other symptoms displayed are autistic symptoms (just go through a diagnostic manual whilst watching it).

He's smart (check out his library in his room). He just sucks with social speech (barring some mechanical stuff which makes him anxious -- planes and the highway, for example) -- he has trouble with expressive speech, which is why he'd say, "yeah" (even if "yeah" doesn't answer the question), a lot to things -- my nephew does the same thing (who has AS). He's not that bad regarding routines -- he has them (so do most of us, especially the HFA ones), but he handles a lot of change in the show. Imagine how well you'd function if someone just uplifted you from your environment and put you in a new one. Uh, I wouldn't be functioning.

Sensory stuff? Not bad at all. Man, I couldn't go into a casino at all.

HFA.