Editing Rice County, Minnesota

{{short description|County in Minnesota, United States}}
{{About|the Minnesota county|the city with the same name|Rice, Minnesota}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Rice County
 | state                = Minnesota
 | seal                 = 
 | founded date         = March 5
 | founded year         = 1853
 | seat wl              = Faribault
 | largest city         = Faribault
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 516
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 496
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 20
 | area percentage      = 3.9%
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 67097
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2024
 | population_est       = 69025 {{increase}}
 | density_sq_mi        = 135.3
 | time zone            = Central
 | web                  = www.co.rice.mn.us
 | named for            = [[Henry Mower Rice]]
 | ex image             = Rice County Courthouse.jpg
 | ex image cap         = [[Rice County Courthouse and Jail|Rice County Courthouse]]
 | district             = 1st
 | district2            = 2nd
}}

'''Rice County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the south central portion of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Minnesota]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 67,097.<ref name="QF">{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/ricecountyminnesota/PST045222 |access-date=April 13, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Faribault, Minnesota|Faribault]].<ref name="GR6">{{Cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 |access-date=June 7, 2011 |publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref>

Rice County comprises the ''Faribault-[[Northfield, Minnesota|Northfield]], MN [[Micropolitan Statistical Area]]'', which is included in the [[Minneapolis]]-[[Saint Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul]], MN-[[Wisconsin|WI]] [[Minneapolis–Saint Paul|Combined Statistical Area]].

==History==
Rice County was founded on March 5, 1853.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Minnesota Place Names |url=http://mnplaces.mnhs.org/upham/county.cfm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620201420/http://mnplaces.mnhs.org/upham/county.cfm |archive-date=June 20, 2012 |access-date=March 19, 2014 |publisher=Minnesota Historical Society}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Fedo |first=Michael |url=http://shop.mnhs.org/moreinfomhspress.cfm?Product_ID=139 |title=Pocket Guide to Minnesota Place Names |publisher=Minnesota Historical Society Press |year=2002 |isbn=0-87351-424-6 |location=Canada |page=127 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090527153351/http://shop.mnhs.org/moreinfomhspress.cfm?Product_ID=139 |archive-date=May 27, 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Geography==
The [[Cannon River (Minnesota)|Cannon River]] flows northeasterly through the center of the county, on its way to discharge into the [[Mississippi River]] at [[Red Wing, Minnesota|Red Wing]]. The [[Straight River (southern Minnesota)|Straight River]] flows northerly into the county from [[Steele County, Minnesota|Steele County]] to its discharge point into the Cannon River at Faribault. The [[Zumbro River#Courses|North Fork of the Zumbro River]] rises in south-central Rice County, and flows eastward into [[Goodhue County, Minnesota|Goodhue County]] on its way to discharge into the Mississippi east of [[Kellogg, Minnesota|Kellogg]].

The county terrain consists of low, rolling hills, entirely devoted to agriculture, and dotted with lakes.<ref name="RCM">[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rice+County,+MN/@44.369937,-93.4228551,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x87f659b1e262d12f:0x9eef359126c2cc2e!8m2!3d44.2749995!4d-93.3388917 ''Rice County MN''  Google Maps (accessed April 3, 2019)]</ref> The county slopes to the east and north; its highest point is near its SE corner, at {{convert|1,263|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL.<ref>[https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm "Find an Altitude/Rice County MN"  Google Maps (accessed April 3, 2019)]</ref> The county has an area of {{convert|516|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|496|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|20|sqmi}} (3.9%) is water.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921060200/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt |archive-date=September 21, 2013 |access-date=October 24, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> The [[Cannon River (Minnesota)|Cannon River]] flows northeastwardly through the county, collecting the [[Straight River (southern Minnesota)|Straight River]] in Faribault. The North Fork of the [[Zumbro River]] has its headwaters in the county's southeastern part.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Minnesota Atlas & Gazetteer |publisher=[[DeLorme]] |year=1994 |isbn=0-89933-222-6 |location=Yarmouth ME |page=33}}</ref> 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|thumb|right|Soils of Rice County<ref>Nelson, Steven (2011). ''Savanna Soils of Minnesota.'' Minnesota: Self. pp. 43-48. {{ISBN|978-0-615-50320-2}}.</ref>]]

===Major highways===
{{div col}}
* [[Image:I-35.svg|20px]] [[Interstate 35 in Minnesota|Interstate 35]]
* {{jct|state=MN|BL|35|dab1=Faribault}}
* [[Image:MN-3.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 3]]
* [[Image:MN-13.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 13]]
* [[Image:MN-19.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 19]]
* [[Image:MN-21.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 21]]
* [[Image:MN-60.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 60]]
* [[Image:MN-99.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 99]]
* [[Image:MN-246.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 246]]
* [[Image:MN-298.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 298]]
* [[Image:MN-299.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 299]]
{{div col end}}

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col}}
* [[Dakota County, Minnesota|Dakota County]] - northeast
* [[Goodhue County, Minnesota|Goodhue County]] - east
* [[Dodge County, Minnesota|Dodge County]] - southeast
* [[Steele County, Minnesota|Steele County]] - south
* [[Waseca County, Minnesota|Waseca County]] - southwest
* [[Le Sueur County, Minnesota|Le Sueur County]] - west
* [[Scott County, Minnesota|Scott County]] - northwest
{{div col end}}

===Protected areas<ref name=RCM/>===
{{div col}}
* 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
{{div col end}}

===Lakes<ref name=RCM/>===
{{div col}}
* 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
{{div col end}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1860= 7543
|1870= 16083
|1880= 22481
|1890= 23968
|1900= 26080
|1910= 25911
|1920= 28307
|1930= 29974
|1940= 32160
|1950= 36235
|1960= 38988
|1970= 41582
|1980= 46087
|1990= 49183
|2000= 56665
|2010= 64142
|2020= 67097
|estyear=2024
|estimate=69025
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{Cite web |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html |access-date=March 18, 2024}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426102944/http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html |archive-date=April 26, 2015 |access-date=October 24, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><br/>1790-1960<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu |access-date=October 24, 2014 |publisher=University of Virginia Library}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{Cite web |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/mn190090.txt |access-date=October 24, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><br/>1990-2000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |access-date=October 24, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 2010-2020<ref name="QF" />
}}

===2020 Census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Rice County Racial Composition<ref>{{Cite web |title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Rice County, Minnesota |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Rice%20County,%20Minnesota&t=Race%20and%20Ethnicity&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (NH)
|51,523
|76.8%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (NH)
|4,353
|6.5%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]] (NH)
|297
|0.44%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]] (NH)
|1,554
|2.32%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]] (NH)
|10
|0.02%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]] (NH)
|2,577
|3.84%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|6,783
|10.11%
|}

===2000 census===
[[File:RiceCountyMn2022PopPyr.png|thumb|right|2022 US Census [[population pyramid]] for Rice County, from [[American Community Survey|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 {{convert|114|/mi2|/km2}}. There were 20,061 housing units at an average density of {{convert|40.4|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 93.59% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 1.31% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.43% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 1.46% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.04% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.87% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.30% from two or more races. 5.50% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 32.1% were of [[German people|German]], 14.7% [[norwegian people|Norwegian]], 7.2% [[Irish people|Irish]] and 5.3% [[czech people|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 [[Marriage|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==
{{div col}}
* Ackman Park {{convert|3|mi|km}} west of [[Faribault, Minnesota|Faribault]]
* Albers Park in [[Webster Township, Rice County, Minnesota|Webster]]
* Cannon River Wilderness Area Park [[between Faribault and Cannon City]]
* Caron Park in [[Cannon City, Minnesota|Cannon City]]
* Circle Lake Park near [[near Millersburg]]
* Falls Creek Park {{convert|1|mi|km|adj=on}} east of Faribault
* Heron Island in [[Shieldsville Township, Rice County, Minnesota|Shieldsville]]
* Hirdler Park {{convert|10|mi|km}} west of Faribault
* Kalina Park in [[Wheatland Township, Rice County, Minnesota|Wheatland]]
* King Mill Park in Faribault
* MccCullough Park and Campground [[Shields Lake]]
{{div col end}}

==Communities==
===Cities===
* [[Dennison, Minnesota|Dennison]] (partly in [[Goodhue County, Minnesota|Goodhue County]])
* [[Dundas, Minnesota|Dundas]]
* [[Faribault, Minnesota|Faribault]] (county seat)
* [[Lonsdale, Minnesota|Lonsdale]]
* [[Morristown, Minnesota|Morristown]]
* [[Nerstrand, Minnesota|Nerstrand]]
* [[Northfield, Minnesota|Northfield]] (partly in [[Dakota County, Minnesota|Dakota County]])

===Census-designated place===
* [[Warsaw, Minnesota|Warsaw]]

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Cannon City, Minnesota|Cannon City]]
* [[Epsom, Minnesota|Epsom]]
* [[Hazelwood, Minnesota|Hazelwood]]
* [[Little Chicago, Minnesota|Little Chicago]]
* [[Millersburg, Minnesota|Millersburg]]
* [[Moland, Minnesota|Moland]] (partly in [[Steele County, Minnesota|Steele County]])
* [[Prairieville, Minnesota|Prairieville]]
* [[Ruskin, Minnesota|Ruskin]]
* [[Shieldsville, Minnesota|Shieldsville]]
* [[Veseli, Minnesota|Veseli]]
* [[Webster, Minnesota|Webster]]
* [[Wheatland, Minnesota|Wheatland]]
{{div col end}}

===Townships===
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Bridgewater Township, Rice County, Minnesota|Bridgewater Township]]
* [[Cannon City Township, Rice County, Minnesota|Cannon City Township]]
* [[Erin Township, Rice County, Minnesota|Erin Township]]
* [[Forest Township, Rice County, Minnesota|Forest Township]]
* [[Morristown Township, Rice County, Minnesota|Morristown Township]]
* [[Northfield Township, Rice County, Minnesota|Northfield Township]]
* [[Richland Township, Rice County, Minnesota|Richland Township]]
* [[Shieldsville Township, Rice County, Minnesota|Shieldsville Township]]
* [[Walcott Township, Rice County, Minnesota|Walcott Township]]
* [[Warsaw Township, Rice County, Minnesota|Warsaw Township]]
* [[Webster Township, Rice County, Minnesota|Webster Township]]
* [[Wells Township, Rice County, Minnesota|Wells Township]]
* [[Wheatland Township, Rice County, Minnesota|Wheatland Township]]
* [[Wheeling Township, Rice County, Minnesota|Wheeling Township]]
{{div col end}}

==Politics==
From its first participating election in [[1860 United States presidential election in Minnesota|1860]] through [[1960 United States presidential election in Minnesota|1960]], Rice County was traditionally Republican, voting for the Republican nominee in every election save [[1912 United States presidential election in Minnesota|1912]] (when it voted for [[Progressive Party (United States, 1912)|Bull Moose]] nominee and former Republican president [[Theodore Roosevelt]]) and [[Franklin D. Roosevelt|Franklin Roosevelt]]'s [[1932 United States presidential election in Minnesota|1932]] and [[1936 United States presidential election in Minnesota|1936]] landslides.<ref>{{Cite web |title=County winners, 1836-2016 |url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZmDRzvm83BYurKX7LsrET-C7tcIsE5Em42Wt-gTydXk/edit?usp=embed_facebook |access-date=January 10, 2021 |website=Google Docs |language=en-US}}</ref> From [[1964 United States presidential election in Minnesota|1964]] through [[2012 United States presidential election in Minnesota|2012]], it became a Democratic stronghold, voting for the Democratic nominee in every election save [[Richard Nixon]]'s [[1972 United States presidential election in Minnesota|1972]] landslide. In [[2016 United States presidential election in Minnesota|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 United States presidential election in Minnesota|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). In 2024, the county voted Republican for a third time, giving [[Donald Trump]] his first absolute majority of over 50% in the county out of all three elections.
{{PresHead|place=Rice County, Minnesota|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS |access-date=October 10, 2018 |website=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|18,264|17,353|795|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|17,464|17,402|820|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|15,429|14,437|2,577|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|14,384|17,054|829|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|13,723|17,381|695|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|13,881|16,425|439|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|10,876|13,140|2,005|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|7,016|12,821|3,483|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|7,015|10,908|6,190|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|9,460|11,570|237|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1984|Democratic|10,456|10,880|189|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|8,168|9,531|2,974|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|8,311|10,590|706|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|9,195|8,065|215|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|7,037|7,785|497|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|5,518|9,299|26|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|8,248|6,752|31|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|8,471|4,489|24|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|9,334|4,330|29|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|6,301|5,832|188|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|6,824|4,470|28|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|8,143|4,687|45|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|4,888|5,928|1,511|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|4,743|6,289|183|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|6,576|5,014|49|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|5,883|1,199|2,521|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|6,500|2,040|175|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|2,408|2,083|170|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1912|Progressive|1,020|1,613|1,964|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|2,821|1,614|155|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|3,160|1,063|205|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|2,924|1,688|232|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1896|Republican|3,483|2,002|226|Minnesota}}
{{PresFoot|1892|Republican|2,245|1,794|610|Minnesota}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+County Board of Commissioners<ref>{{Cite web |title=Board of Commissioners {{!}} Rice County, MN |url=https://www.co.rice.mn.us/169/Board-of-Commissioners |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=www.co.rice.mn.us}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |Position
!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
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+U.S Congress (2021-2023)
! colspan="2" |Position
!Name
!Affiliation
!District
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
|[[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]
|[[Brad Finstad]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 12, 2022 |title=Republican Rep. Brad Finstad sworn in to finish Hagedorn's House term |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3598486-republican-rep-brad-finstad-sworn-in-to-finish-hagedorns-house-term/}}</ref>
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|[[Minnesota's 1st congressional district|1st]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
|[[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]
|[[Angie Craig]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Representative Angie Craig |url=https://craig.house.gov/ |access-date=June 26, 2020 |website=Representative Angie Craig |language=en}}</ref>
|[[Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party|Democrat]]
|[[Minnesota's 2nd congressional district|2nd]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
|[[United States Senate|Senate]]
|[[Amy Klobuchar]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar |url=https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/ |access-date=June 24, 2020 |website=www.klobuchar.senate.gov}}</ref>
|[[Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party|Democrat]]
|N/A
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
|[[United States Senate|Senate]]
|[[Tina Smith]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.smith.senate.gov/ |access-date=June 24, 2020 |website=Senator Tina Smith |language=en}}</ref>
|[[Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party|Democrat]]
|N/A
|}

==Education==
School districts include:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st27_mn/schooldistrict_maps/c27131_rice/DC20SD_C27131.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Rice County, MN|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-11-29}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st27_mn/schooldistrict_maps/c27131_rice/DC20SD_C27131_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>
* [[Faribault Public School District]]
* [[Kenyon-Wanamingo School District]]
* [[Medford Public School District]]
* [[New Prague Area Schools]]
* [[Northfield Public School District]]
* [[Tri-City United School District]]
* [[Waseca Public School District]]
* [[Waterville-Elysian-Morristown Public School District]]

State-operated schools include:
* [[Minnesota State Academy for the Blind]]
* [[Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf]]

Private schools:
* [[Shattuck-Saint Mary's]]

Tertiary:
* [[South Central Community College]]

Library:
* [[Thomas Scott Buckham Memorial Library]]

==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Rice County, Minnesota]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.co.rice.mn.us/ Rice County government’s website]

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Rice County, Minnesota
|Northeast = [[Dakota County, Minnesota|Dakota County]]
|East      = [[Goodhue County, Minnesota|Goodhue County]]
|Southeast = [[Dodge County, Minnesota|Dodge County]]
|South     = [[Steele County, Minnesota|Steele County]]
|Southwest = [[Waseca County, Minnesota|Waseca County]]
|West      = [[Le Sueur County, Minnesota|Le Sueur County]]
|Northwest = [[Scott County, Minnesota|Scott County]]
}}

{{Rice County, Minnesota}}
{{Minnesota}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|44.36|-93.30|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-MN_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Rice County, Minnesota| ]]
[[Category:Minnesota counties]]
[[Category:1853 establishments in Minnesota Territory]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1853]]