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COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Rice County

Minnesota · 49,183 residents · 496 sq mi
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The short version

Rice County is home to 49,183 people in Minnesota. Owners hold 75% of the housing stock. Median home value sits at $68,000. Poverty is uncommon here, at 8.7% of residents. There are 7,482 fewer people here than in 2000. 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 30.4
US median: 33.0
Average education
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 28%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
49,183
−13%vs 2000
vs 56,665 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
30.4
−8%vs 2000
vs 32.9 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
496 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
47K53K59K64K70K19902000201020202024Rice County
202468K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 56.9%(3,376)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 98.1%(3,976)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.3%(3,575)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 199.7%(4,781)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 2410.7%(5,268)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3415.3%(7,536)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4413.1%(6,434)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5410.1%(4,943)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 647.1%(3,502)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 746.1%(2,989)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 843.9%(1,934)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.8%(869)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$29,596
−20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $48,651 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$11,936
−39%vs 2000
vs $19,695 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
8.7%
+1.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 6.9% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$68,000
−28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $124,200 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$370
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $519 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
75.5%
−2.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 77.9% in 2000
24.5% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic90.5%(51,257)
Black1.3%(713)
Hispanic / Latino5.5%(3,117)
Asian1.5%(823)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic98%(48,218)
Black0.5%(250)
Hispanic / Latino0.7%(322)
Asian0.9%(443)
Other0.6%(272)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican7.5%(5,075)
Guatemalan0.5%(311)
Honduran0.5%(309)
Salvadoran0.3%(188)
Colombian0.1%(100)
Puerto Rican0.1%(62)
Bolivian0.1%(61)
Ecuadorian0.1%(60)
Peruvian0.1%(53)
Spaniard0.1%(49)
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data
Cuban0.1%(44)
Argentine0.1%(44)
Chilean0%(5)
Asian origin
Chinese0.6%(387)
Hmong0.5%(331)
Vietnamese0.4%(249)
Korean0.3%(223)
Asian Indian0.1%(64)
Filipino0.1%(37)
Cambodian0%(29)
Laotian0%(26)
Taiwanese0%(25)
Japanese0%(21)
Thai0%(9)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German29.5%(20,044)
Norwegian12.1%(8,187)
Irish9.5%(6,460)
English6.8%(4,627)
Czech4.5%(3,087)
Somali4%(2,731)
Swedish3.9%(2,633)
American2.8%(1,921)
French2.6%(1,765)
Polish2.3%(1,541)
Italian1.8%(1,192)
+ 37 more ancestry groups with data
Scottish1.5%(1,032)
Dutch1.4%(935)
Danish0.7%(486)
Welsh0.7%(457)
Finnish0.5%(373)
Russian0.5%(348)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(329)
Austrian0.4%(246)
British0.3%(206)
Swiss0.3%(173)
Belgian0.2%(153)
Greek0.2%(126)
Ethiopian0.2%(118)
Hungarian0.2%(117)
Slovak0.1%(79)
Arab0.1%(57)
Portuguese0.1%(50)
Slovene0.1%(47)
Lebanese0.1%(44)
Canadian0.1%(44)
Croatian0.1%(42)
Kenyan0.1%(36)
Ukrainian0.1%(34)
Nigerian0%(32)
Latvian0%(26)
Armenian0%(25)
Serbian0%(23)
Bulgarian0%(13)
Moroccan0%(11)
Haitian0%(8)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
19.3%
−3.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 22.4% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
78.7%
−6.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 85.2% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
7.2%
−1.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 8.1% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
20.4 min
+33%vs 2000
vs 15.3 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married42%(12,195)
Married46%(13,360)
Widowed2.4%(701)
Divorced9.5%(2,761)
Women 15+
Never married34.4%(9,285)
Married46.5%(12,545)
Widowed7.4%(1,991)
Divorced11.7%(3,142)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
5.5%
−2.9 ptssince 2013
from 8.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
59.1%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 58.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.4%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 14.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
17.7%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 16.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
20.2%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 19.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.6%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 1.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
73.1%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 72.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
35.8%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 34.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)18.7%(582)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)24%(748)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era32.9%(1,024)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War6.2%(194)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II2%(63)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 3,116 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

Places similar to Rice County

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Pop 61,951
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Pop 69,628
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Pop 82,153
Places similar to Rice County
Head to head

Compare Rice County to nearby counties

RICE COUNTY VS
Le Sueur County
Income$94,968+221%
Home value$316,500+365%
Population29,453−58%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RICE COUNTY VS
Steele County
Income$84,196+184%
Home value$245,400+261%
Population37,464−46%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RICE COUNTY VS
Scott County
Income$119,314+303%
Home value$419,400+517%
Population159,017+127%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RICE COUNTY VS
Dakota County
Income$106,318+259%
Home value$381,000+460%
Population457,710+554%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Rice County, Minnesota?

Rice County, Minnesota has about 49,183 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Rice County, Minnesota?

The typical household in Rice County, Minnesota earns about $29,596 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Rice County, Minnesota expensive?

In Rice County, Minnesota, the median home is worth about $68,000, and the typical rent is about $370 a month.

How educated are people in Rice County, Minnesota?

About 19.3% of adults age 25 and over in Rice County, Minnesota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Rice County, Minnesota?

About 8.7% of people in Rice County, Minnesota live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →