Rice County, Minnesota

Rice County is a county located in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2010 census, the population was 64,142.[1] Its county seat is Faribault.[2]

This article is about the Minnesota county. For the city with the same name, see Rice, Minnesota.

Rice County
U.S. county
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 44°22′N 93°18′W
Country United States
State Minnesota
FoundedMarch 5, 1853
Named forHenry Mower Rice
SeatFaribault
Largest cityFaribault
Area
 • Total516 sq mi (1,340 km2)
 • Land496 sq mi (1,280 km2)
 • Water20 sq mi (50 km2)  3.9%%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total64,142
 • Estimate 
(2019)
66,972
 • Density133/sq mi (51/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts1st, 2nd
Websitewww.co.rice.mn.us
Henry Mower Rice, one of Minnesota's first senators and the namesake of the county

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.

Soils of Rice County[9]

Major highways
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 population
CensusPop.%±
18607,543—
187016,083113.2%
188022,48139.8%
189023,9686.6%
190026,0808.8%
191025,911−0.6%
192028,3079.2%
193029,9745.9%
194032,1607.3%
195036,23512.7%
196038,9887.6%
197041,5826.7%
198046,08710.8%
199049,1836.7%
200056,66515.2%
201064,14213.2%
2019 (est.)66,972[10]4.4%
US Decennial Census[11]
1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13]
1990-2000[14] 2010-2019[1]
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

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.[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).

Presidential election results
Presidential elections results[16]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 48.9% 17,464 48.8% 17,402 2.3% 820
2016 47.6% 15,429 44.5% 14,437 7.9% 2,577
2012 44.6% 14,384 52.9% 17,054 2.6% 829
2008 43.2% 13,723 54.7% 17,381 2.2% 695
2004 45.2% 13,881 53.4% 16,425 1.4% 439
2000 41.8% 10,876 50.5% 13,140 7.7% 2,005
1996 30.1% 7,016 55.0% 12,821 14.9% 3,483
1992 29.1% 7,015 45.2% 10,908 25.7% 6,190
1988 44.5% 9,460 54.4% 11,570 1.1% 237
1984 48.6% 10,456 50.6% 10,880 0.9% 189
1980 39.5% 8,168 46.1% 9,531 14.4% 2,974
1976 42.4% 8,311 54.0% 10,590 3.6% 706
1972 52.6% 9,195 46.2% 8,065 1.2% 215
1968 45.9% 7,037 50.8% 7,785 3.2% 497
1964 37.2% 5,518 62.7% 9,299 0.2% 26
1960 54.9% 8,248 44.9% 6,752 0.2% 31
1956 65.2% 8,471 34.6% 4,489 0.2% 24
1952 68.2% 9,334 31.6% 4,330 0.2% 29
1948 51.1% 6,301 47.3% 5,832 1.5% 188
1944 60.3% 6,824 39.5% 4,470 0.3% 28
1940 63.3% 8,143 36.4% 4,687 0.4% 45
1936 39.7% 4,888 48.1% 5,928 12.3% 1,511
1932 42.3% 4,743 56.1% 6,289 1.6% 183
1928 56.5% 6,576 43.1% 5,014 0.4% 49
1924 61.3% 5,883 12.5% 1,199 26.3% 2,521
1920 74.6% 6,500 23.4% 2,040 2.0% 175
1916 51.7% 2,408 44.7% 2,083 3.7% 170
1912 22.2% 1,020 35.1% 1,613 42.7% 1,964
1908 61.5% 2,821 35.2% 1,614 3.4% 155
1904 71.4% 3,160 24.0% 1,063 4.6% 205
1900 60.4% 2,924 34.9% 1,688 4.8% 232
1896 61.0% 3,483 35.1% 2,002 4.0% 226
1892 48.3% 2,245 38.6% 1,794 13.1% 610
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
  Senate Rich Draheim[18] Republican District 20
  Senate John Jasinski[19] Republican District 24
  House of Representatives Todd Lippert[20] Democrat District 20B
  House of Representatives Brian Daniels[21] Republican District 24B
U.S Congress (2018-2020)
Position Name Affiliation District
  House of Representatives Jim Hagedorn[22] Republican 1st
  House of Representatives Angie Craig[23] Democrat 2nd
  Senate Amy Klobuchar[24] Democrat N/A
  Senate Tina Smith[25] Democrat N/A

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  4. Fedo, Michael (2002). Pocket Guide to Minnesota Place Names. Canada: Minnesota Historical Society Press. p. 127. ISBN 0-87351-424-6. Archived from the original on May 27, 2009.
  5. 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". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  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. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  11. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  12. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  13. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  14. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  15. "County winners, 1836-2016". Google Docs. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  16. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  17. "Board of Commissioners | Rice County, MN". www.co.rice.mn.us. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  18. "MN State Senate". www.senate.mn. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  19. "MN State Senate". www.senate.mn. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  20. "Rep. Todd Lippert (20B) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  21. "Rep. Brian Daniels (24B) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  22. "Representative Jim Hagedorn". Representative Jim Hagedorn. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  23. "Representative Angie Craig". Representative Angie Craig. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  24. "U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar". www.klobuchar.senate.gov. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  25. "Home". Senator Tina Smith. Retrieved June 24, 2020.

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