Rice County, Kansas
Located in Kansas, Rice County has a population of 9,350 residents and a median age of 38.6 years, making it the #2,539 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 7.7%. The median home value is $104,600, and the median household income is $63,925, which is 15% below the national median.
Demographics
Rice County has a population of 9,350, making it the #2,539 most populous county in the US. The median age is 38.6 years, which is 0.8% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Rice County is $63,925, ranking #1,715 out of 3,222 counties — 14.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 7.7% and unemployment stands at 4.4%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Rice County is $104,600 (-62.9% vs national). Renters pay a median of $753/mo and the homeownership rate is 77.4%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Rice County, 25.9% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 23.3% below the national average, ranking #1,130 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Rice County is 75.3 years. 15.1% of adults report poor or fair health and 10.7% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
16.0% of adults in Rice County smoke , 36.9% are obese , and 20.8% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 33.9 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 25.5 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
15.0% of children in Rice County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 16.4 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Rice County is 60.5%. The mean commute time is 21.2 min, which is 23.0% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Rice County voted Republican with a margin of 56.7%. The vote was 20.8% Dem / 77.5% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 3.9 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Rice County, Kansas
Rice County, Kansas has a total population of 9,350, making it the 2,539th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Rice County is 38.6 years, which is 0.8% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Rice County is $63,925, which ranks #1,715 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 14.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 7.7%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.4%.
The median home value in Rice County is $104,600, 62.9% below the national median. Renters in Rice County pay a median gross rent of $753 per month. The homeownership rate is 77.4%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Rice County, 25.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 23.3% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 92.1% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 21.2 min.
Rice County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 77.6% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (14.0%) and Two or More Races (6.0%).
All data for Rice County, Kansas comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.