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Rice County
Rice County
County
	Rice County Courthouse
	Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
	Minnesota's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 44°22′N 93°18′W / 44.36°N 93.3°W
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
Founded	March 5, 1853
Named for	Henry Mower Rice
Seat	Faribault
Largest city	Faribault
Area
• Total	516 sq mi (1,340 km2)
• Land	496 sq mi (1,280 km2)
• Water	20 sq mi (50 km2) 3.9%
Population (2020)
• Total	67,097
• Estimate (2023)	67,948
• Density	135.3/sq mi (52.2/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts	1st, 2nd
Website	www.co.rice.mn.us

Rice County is a county located in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 67,097.^[1] Its county seat is Faribault.^[2]

Rice County comprises the Faribault-Northfield, MN Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI Combined Statistical Area.

History

Rice County was founded on March 5, 1853.^[3] It was named for Henry Mower Rice, a fur trader who became instrumental in creation of the Minnesota Territory and its subsequent growth and development.^[4]

Geography

The Cannon River flows northeasterly through the center of the county, on its way to discharge into the Mississippi River at Red Wing. The Straight River flows northerly into the county from Steele County to its discharge point into the Cannon River at Faribault. The North Fork of the Zumbro River rises in south-central Rice County, and flows eastward into Goodhue County on its way to discharge into the Mississippi east of Kellogg.

The county terrain consists of low, rolling hills, entirely devoted to agriculture, and dotted with lakes.^[5] The county slopes to the east and north; its highest point is near its SE corner, at 1,263 ft (385 m) ASL.^[6] The county has an area of 516 square miles (1,340 km²), of which 496 square miles (1,280 km²) is land and 20 square miles (52 km²) (3.9%) is water.^[7] The Cannon River flows northeastwardly through the county, collecting the Straight River in Faribault. The North Fork of the Zumbro River has its headwaters in the county's southeastern part.^[8] Rice is one of 17 Minnesota savanna counties with more savanna soils than either prairie or forest soils.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Dakota County - northeast
Goodhue County - east
Dodge County - southeast
Steele County - south
Waseca County - southwest
Le Sueur County - west
Scott County - northwest

Protected areas^[5]

Cannon Lake Wilderness Area
Cannon River Trout Lily Scientific and Natural Area
Faribault State Wildlife Management Area
Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
River Bend Nature Area
Sakatah Lake State Park (part)
Shager Park
Townsend Woods Scientific and Natural Area
Whitney Island Scientific and Natural Area

Lakes^[5]

Cannon Lake
Caron Lake
Cedar Lake
Circle Lake
Crystal Lake
Duban Lake
Dudley Lake
Fox Lake
French Lake
Hatch Lake
Horseshoe Lake (part)
Hunt Lake
Kelly Lake
Mazaska Lake
Metogga Lake
Mud Lake
Phelps Lake
Rice Lake
Roberds Lake
Sakatah Lake (part)
Shields Lake
Sprague Lake
Union Lake
Weinberger Lake
Wells Lake
Willing Lake

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	7,543		—
1870	16,083		113.2%
1880	22,481		39.8%
1890	23,968		6.6%
1900	26,080		8.8%
1910	25,911		−0.6%
1920	28,307		9.2%
1930	29,974		5.9%
1940	32,160		7.3%
1950	36,235		12.7%
1960	38,988		7.6%
1970	41,582		6.7%
1980	46,087		10.8%
1990	49,183		6.7%
2000	56,665		15.2%
2010	64,142		13.2%
2020	67,097		4.6%
2023 (est.)	67,948	^[10]	1.3%
U.S. Decennial Census^[11] 1790-1960^[12] 1900-1990^[13] 1990-2000^[14] 2010-2020^[1]

2020 Census

Rice County Racial Composition^[15]
Race	Num.	Perc.
White (NH)	51,523	76.8%
Black or African American (NH)	4,353	6.5%
Native American (NH)	297	0.44%
Asian (NH)	1,554	2.32%
Pacific Islander (NH)	10	0.02%
Other/Mixed (NH)	2,577	3.84%
Hispanic or Latino	6,783	10.11%

2000 census

2022 US Census population pyramid for Rice County, from ACS 5-year estimates

As of the census of 2000, there were 56,665 people, 18,888 households, and 13,353 families in the county. The population density was 114 per square mile (44/km²). There were 20,061 housing units at an average density of 40.4 per square mile (15.6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.59% White, 1.31% Black or African American, 0.43% Native American, 1.46% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.87% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. 5.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 32.1% were of German, 14.7% Norwegian, 7.2% Irish and 5.3% Czech ancestry.

There were 18,888 households, out of which 36.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.10% were married couples living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were non-families. 23.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.14.

The county population contained 25.30% under the age of 18, 15.80% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 20.20% from 45 to 64, and 11.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 101.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $48,651, and the median income for a family was $56,407. Males had a median income of $36,771 versus $26,151 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,695. About 4.00% of families and 6.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.70% of those under age 18 and 10.70% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

Ackman Park 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Faribault
Albers Park in Webster
Caron Park in Cannon City
Falls Creek Park 1-mile (1.6 km) east of Faribault
Heron Island in Shieldsville
Hirdler Park 10 miles (16 km) west of Faribault
Kalina Park in Wheatland
King Mill Park in Faribault

Communities

Cities

Census-designated place

Warsaw

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Politics

From its first participating election in 1860 through 1960, Rice County was traditionally Republican, voting for the Republican nominee in every election save 1912 (when it voted for Bull Moose nominee and former Republican president Theodore Roosevelt) and Franklin Roosevelt's 1932 and 1936 landslides.^[16] From 1964 through 2012, it became a Democratic stronghold, voting for the Democratic nominee in every election save Richard Nixon's 1972 landslide. In 2016, it voted for a Republican for the first time since 1972 (and for a Republican who was not winning a majority of the national popular vote for the first time since 1960), although it gave him only a plurality, with 7.9% voting third party. However, in 2020, with the third party vote sinking to 2.3%, it voted Republican again, making it the first time since 1956 and 1960 that the county has voted Republican two elections in a row (although the Republican margin was only 62 votes out of over 35,000 cast).

United States presidential election results for Rice County, Minnesota^[17]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	18,264	50.16%	17,353	47.66%	795	2.18%
2020	17,464	48.94%	17,402	48.76%	820	2.30%
2016	15,429	47.56%	14,437	44.50%	2,577	7.94%
2012	14,384	44.58%	17,054	52.85%	829	2.57%
2008	13,723	43.16%	17,381	54.66%	695	2.19%
2004	13,881	45.15%	16,425	53.42%	439	1.43%
2000	10,876	41.80%	13,140	50.50%	2,005	7.71%
1996	7,016	30.09%	12,821	54.98%	3,483	14.94%
1992	7,015	29.09%	10,908	45.24%	6,190	25.67%
1988	9,460	44.48%	11,570	54.40%	237	1.11%
1984	10,456	48.58%	10,880	50.55%	189	0.88%
1980	8,168	39.51%	9,531	46.10%	2,974	14.39%
1976	8,311	42.39%	10,590	54.01%	706	3.60%
1972	9,195	52.62%	8,065	46.15%	215	1.23%
1968	7,037	45.94%	7,785	50.82%	497	3.24%
1964	5,518	37.18%	9,299	62.65%	26	0.18%
1960	8,248	54.87%	6,752	44.92%	31	0.21%
1956	8,471	65.24%	4,489	34.57%	24	0.18%
1952	9,334	68.17%	4,330	31.62%	29	0.21%
1948	6,301	51.14%	5,832	47.33%	188	1.53%
1944	6,824	60.27%	4,470	39.48%	28	0.25%
1940	8,143	63.25%	4,687	36.40%	45	0.35%
1936	4,888	39.65%	5,928	48.09%	1,511	12.26%
1932	4,743	42.29%	6,289	56.08%	183	1.63%
1928	6,576	56.50%	5,014	43.08%	49	0.42%
1924	5,883	61.26%	1,199	12.49%	2,521	26.25%
1920	6,500	74.58%	2,040	23.41%	175	2.01%
1916	2,408	51.66%	2,083	44.69%	170	3.65%
1912	1,020	22.19%	1,613	35.09%	1,964	42.72%
1908	2,821	61.46%	1,614	35.16%	155	3.38%
1904	3,160	71.36%	1,063	24.01%	205	4.63%
1900	2,924	60.36%	1,688	34.85%	232	4.79%
1896	3,483	60.99%	2,002	35.06%	226	3.96%
1892	2,245	48.29%	1,794	38.59%	610	13.12%

County Board of Commissioners^[18]
	Name	District	Next Election
Commissioner	Jim Purfeerst	District 1	2024
Commissioner	Galen Malecha	District 2	2024
Commissioner	Gerry Hoisington	District 3	2026
Commissioner	Steve Underdahl	District 4	2026
Commissioner	Jeff Docken	District 5	2024

U.S Congress (2021-2023)
	Name	Affiliation	District
House of Representatives	Brad Finstad^[19]	Republican	1st
House of Representatives	Angie Craig^[20]	Democrat	2nd
Senate	Amy Klobuchar^[21]	Democrat	N/A
Senate	Tina Smith^[22]	Democrat	N/A