Rice County, Minnesota

Rice County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2000, the population was 56,665. Its county seat is Faribault.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 516 square miles (1,337 km²), of which, 498 square miles (1,289 km²) of it is land and 19 square miles (48 km²) of it (3.60%) is water. 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 southeastern part of the county.

Lakes

• Cannon Lake: almost entirely in Warsaw Township, but the far western part extends into Morristown Township
• Caron Lake: in Shieldsville Township
• Cedar Lake: in Shieldsville Township
• Circle Lake: in Forest Township
• Crystal Lake: in Cannon City Township
• Duban Lake: in Erin Township
• Dudley Lake: in Wells Township
• Fox Lake: in Forest Township
• French Lake: mostly in Wells Township, but the western part extends into Shieldsville Township
• Hatch Lake: in Wheatland Township
• Horseshoe Lake: eastern third is in Morristown Township; the rest is in Le Sueur County
• Hunt Lake: in Shieldsville Township
• Kelly Lake: in Wells Township
• Mazaska Lake: in four different townships: Wells, Shieldsville, Forest, and Erin
• Metogga Lake: in Wheatland Township
• Mud Lake: in Shieldsville Township
• Phelps Lake: all of the northern Phelps Lake is in Wheatland Township; the northern third of the southern Phelps Lake is in Wheatland Township and the rest is in Erin Township
• Rice Lake: in Shieldsville Township
• Roberds Lake: in Wells Township
• Sakatah Lake: eastern half is in Morristown Township; western half is in Le Sueur County
• Shields Lake: northern half is in Erin Township and the southern half is in Shieldsville Township
• Sprague Lake: in Morristown Township
• Union Lake: souther half is in Forest Township; northern half is in Webster Township
• Weinberger Lake: in Morristown Township
• Wells Lake: mostly in Wells Township, but the southern part extends into Warsaw Township
• Willing Lake: in Shieldsville Township

Major highways

Interstate 35 Minnesota State Highway 3 Minnesota State Highway 13 Minnesota State Highway 19 Minnesota State Highway 21

Minnesota State Highway 60 Minnesota State Highway 99 Minnesota State Highway 246 Minnesota State Highway 298 Minnesota State Highway 299

Adjacent counties

Dakota County (northeast) Goodhue County (east) Dodge County (southeast) Steele County (south)

Waseca County (southwest) Le Sueur County (west) Scott County (northwest)

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 56,665 people, 18,888 households, and 13,353 families residing in the county. The population density was 114 people per square mile (44/km²). There were 20,061 housing units at an average density of 40 per square mile (16/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 according to Census 2000.

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.

In the county the population was spread out with 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.

Cities and towns

Cities	Townships		Unincorporated
Dennison † Dundas Faribault Lonsdale Morristown Nerstrand Northfield ‡	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	Cannon City Little Chicago

† Dennison is in Goodhue County, but a small part extends into Rice County.
‡ A part of Northfield extends into Dakota County.

County Parks

Major lottery win

A ticket bought in Rice County for the May 3, 2008 multi-state Powerball drawing won the jackpot, valued at approximately $180.1 million (annuity; before withholdings), or $88.0 million cash. As of May 5, the ticket holder(s) have yet to claim their prize.

References

External links

• Rice County government’s website