Rice County, Minnesota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rice County
U.S. county
Rice County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
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

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. Its county seat is Faribault.

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. 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.

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. The county slopes to the east and north; its highest point is near its SE corner, at 1,263 ft (385 m) ASL. 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. 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. Rice is one of 17 Minnesota savanna counties with more savanna soils than either prairie or forest soils.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Protected areas

Lakes

Demographics

2020 Census

Parks and recreation

Communities

Cities

• Dennison (partly in Goodhue County)
• Dundas
• Faribault (county seat)
• Lonsdale
• Morristown
• Nerstrand
• Northfield (partly in Dakota County)

Census-designated place

• Warsaw

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Education

School districts include:

• 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

In Spanish: Condado de Rice (Minnesota) para niños