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Rice County, Minnesota
Rice County Courthouse
Rice County Courthouse
Map of Minnesota highlighting Rice County
Location in the state of Minnesota
Map of the U.S
Minnesota's location in the U.S.
Founded March 5, 1853
Named for Henry Mower Rice
Seat Faribault
Largest city Faribault
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

516 sq mi (1,336 km²)
496 sq mi (1,285 km²)
20 sq mi (52 km²), 3.9%
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

67,097
135.3/sq mi (52/km²)
Congressional districts 1st, 2nd
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.co.rice.mn.us
Henry-Rice

Henry Mower Rice, one of Minnesota's first senators and the namesake of the county

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' (385m) 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.File:Rice Co Pie Chart No Text Version.pdf

Major highways[]

  • I-35 Interstate 35
  • Template:Jct/plate/MN/1Business Loop 35 I-35 Bus.
  • MN-3 Minnesota State Highway 3
  • MN-13 Minnesota State Highway 13
  • MN-19 Minnesota State Highway 19
  • MN-21 Minnesota State Highway 21
  • MN-60 Minnesota State Highway 60
  • MN-99 Minnesota State Highway 99
  • MN-246 Minnesota State Highway 246
  • MN-298 Minnesota State Highway 298
  • MN-299 Minnesota State Highway 299
East of Nerstrand Private Lands Wiki Version

Soils east of Nerstrand State Park

Adjacent counties[]

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 populations
Census Pop.
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%
Est. 2021 67,262 [10] 18.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13]
1990-2000[14] 2010-2020[1]
USA Rice County, Minnesota age pyramid

Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 U.S. census data

2000 census[]

As of the 2000 United States census, there were 56,665 people, 18,888 households, and 13,353 families in the county. The population density was 114/sqmi (44.1/km2). There were 20,061 housing units at an average density of 40.4/sqmi (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[]

  • Cannon City
  • Epsom
  • Hazelwood
  • Little Chicago
  • Millersburg
  • Moland (partly in Steele County)
  • Prairieville
  • Ruskin
  • Shieldsville
  • Veseli
  • Webster
  • Wheatland

Townships[]

  • Bridgewater Township
  • Cannon City Township
  • Erin Township
  • Forest Township
  • Morristown Township
  • Northfield Township
  • Richland Township
  • Shieldsville Township
  • Walcott Township
  • Warsaw Township
  • Webster Township
  • Wells Township
  • Wheatland Township
  • Wheeling Township

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.[15] 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[16]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
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[17]
Position Name District Next Election
Commissioner Jake Gillen District 1 2020
Commissioner Galen Malecha District 2 2020
Commissioner Dave Miller District 3 2022
Commissioner Steve Underdahl District 4 2022
Commissioner Jeff Docken District 5 2020
State Legislature (2018-2020)
Position Name Affiliation District
style="background-color:#FF3333;" width=10px | " |  Senate Rich Draheim[18] Republican District 20
style="background-color:#FF3333;" width=10px | " |  Senate John Jasinski[19] Republican District 24
style="background-color:#3333FF;" width=10px | " |  House of Representatives Todd Lippert[20] Democrat District 20B
style="background-color:#FF3333;" width=10px | " |  House of Representatives Brian Daniels[21] Republican District 24B
U.S Congress (2018-2020)
Position Name Affiliation District
style="background-color:#FF3333;" width=10px | " |  House of Representatives Jim Hagedorn[22] Republican 1st
style="background-color:#3333FF;" width=10px | " |  House of Representatives Angie Craig[23] Democrat 2nd
style="background-color:#3333FF;" width=10px | " |  Senate Amy Klobuchar[24] Democrat N/A
style="background-color:#3333FF;" width=10px | " |  Senate Tina Smith[25] Democrat N/A

See also[]

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Rice County, Minnesota

References[]

  1. ^ a b "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Rice County, Minnesota" (in en). United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/ricecountyminnesota/PST045221. 
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  3. ^ "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. http://mnplaces.mnhs.org/upham/county.cfm. 
  4. ^ Fedo, Michael (2002). Pocket Guide to Minnesota Place Names. Canada: Minnesota Historical Society Press. p. 127. ISBN 0-87351-424-6. http://shop.mnhs.org/moreinfomhspress.cfm?Product_ID=139. 
  5. ^ a b c Rice County MN Google Maps (accessed 3 April 2019)
  6. ^ "Find an Altitude/Rice County MN" Google Maps (accessed April 3, 2019)
  7. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt. 
  8. ^ Minnesota Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth ME: DeLorme. 1994. p. 33. ISBN 0-89933-222-6. 
  9. ^ Nelson, Steven (2011). Savanna Soils of Minnesota. Minnesota: Self. pp. 43-48. ISBN 978-0-615-50320-2.
  10. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021". https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html. 
  11. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html. 
  12. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  13. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/mn190090.txt. 
  14. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf. 
  15. ^ "County winners, 1836-2016" (in en-US). https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZmDRzvm83BYurKX7LsrET-C7tcIsE5Em42Wt-gTydXk/edit?usp=embed_facebook. 
  16. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 
  17. ^ "Board of Commissioners | Rice County, MN". https://www.co.rice.mn.us/169/Board-of-Commissioners. 
  18. ^ "MN State Senate" (in en). https://www.senate.mn/members/member_bio.php?member_id=1225. 
  19. ^ "MN State Senate" (in en). https://www.senate.mn/members/member_bio.html?mem_id=1227. 
  20. ^ "Rep. Todd Lippert (20B) - Minnesota House of Representatives". https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/profile/15502. 
  21. ^ "Rep. Brian Daniels (24B) - Minnesota House of Representatives". https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/profile/15433. 
  22. ^ "Representative Jim Hagedorn" (in en). https://hagedorn.house.gov/. 
  23. ^ "Representative Angie Craig" (in en). https://craig.house.gov/. 
  24. ^ "U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar". https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/. 
  25. ^ "Home" (in en). https://www.smith.senate.gov/. 

External links[]

Coordinates: 44°22′N 93°18′W / 44.36, -93.30


This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Rice County, Minnesota. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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