Rice County, Kansas | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Rice County Courthouse inLyons (2022) | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofKansas | |
| Coordinates:38°21′N98°12′W / 38.35°N 98.2°W /38.35; -98.2 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kansas |
| Founded | February 26, 1867 |
| Named after | Samuel Allen Rice |
| Seat | Lyons |
| Largest city | Lyons |
| Area | |
• Total | 728 sq mi (1,890 km2) |
| • Land | 726 sq mi (1,880 km2) |
| • Water | 1.7 sq mi (4.4 km2) 0.2% |
| Population | |
• Total | 9,427 |
• Estimate (2023)[2] | 9,260 |
| • Density | 13/sq mi (5.0/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | ricecounty.us |
Rice County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofKansas. Itscounty seat and largest city isLyons.[3] As of the2020 census, the county population was 9,427.[1] The county was named in memory ofSamuel Allen Rice, Brigadier-General, United States volunteers, killed April 30, 1864, atJenkins Ferry, Arkansas.[4]
For manymillennia, theGreat Plains ofNorth America was inhabited bynomadicNative Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, theKingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts ofNorth America. In 1762, after theFrench and Indian War, France secretly cededNew France toSpain, per theTreaty of Fontainebleau.
In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France, but keeping title to about 7,500 square miles. In 1803, most of the land formodern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mileLouisiana Purchase for 2.83cents peracre.
In 1854, theKansas Territory was organized, then in 1861Kansas became the 34thU.S. state. In 1867, Rice County was established.
TheSanta Fe Trail followed the route of present-dayU.S. Route 56. Ruts in the earth from the trail are still visible in several locations. (Ralph's Ruts are visible in aerial photos at38°21′35″N98°25′20″W / 38.35959264°N 98.42225502°W /38.35959264; -98.42225502.)[5]
In 1878,Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and parties fromMarion andMcPherson counties chartered theMarion and McPherson Railway Company.[6] In 1879, a branch line was built fromFlorence toMcPherson; in 1880 it was extended toLyons, then in 1881 was extended toEllinwood.[7] The line was leased and operated by theAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The line from Florence toMarion, was abandoned in 1968.[8] In 1992, the line fromMarion to McPherson was sold toCentral Kansas Railway. In 1993, after heavy flood damage, the line from Marion to McPherson was abandoned. The original branch line connected Florence, Marion,Canada,Hillsboro,Lehigh,Canton,Galva, McPherson,Conway,Windom,Little River,Mitchell, Lyons,Chase and Ellinwood.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 728 square miles (1,890 km2), of which 726 square miles (1,880 km2) is land and 1.7 square miles (4.4 km2) (0.2%) is water.[9]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 5 | — | |
| 1880 | 9,292 | 185,740.0% | |
| 1890 | 14,451 | 55.5% | |
| 1900 | 14,745 | 2.0% | |
| 1910 | 15,106 | 2.4% | |
| 1920 | 14,832 | −1.8% | |
| 1930 | 13,800 | −7.0% | |
| 1940 | 17,213 | 24.7% | |
| 1950 | 15,635 | −9.2% | |
| 1960 | 13,909 | −11.0% | |
| 1970 | 12,320 | −11.4% | |
| 1980 | 11,900 | −3.4% | |
| 1990 | 10,610 | −10.8% | |
| 2000 | 10,761 | 1.4% | |
| 2010 | 10,083 | −6.3% | |
| 2020 | 9,427 | −6.5% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 9,260 | [2] | −1.8% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[10] 1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12] 1990-2000[13] 2010-2020[1] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 9,427. The median age was 39.9 years. 23.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 100.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.2 males age 18 and over.[14][15]
The racial makeup of the county was 83.3% White, 1.5%Black or African American, 0.7%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Asian, 0.0%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 4.6% from some other race, and 9.5% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 13.7% of the population.[15]
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[16]
There were 3,744 households in the county, of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 23.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[14]
There were 4,377 housing units, of which 14.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 75.2% were owner-occupied and 24.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 16.3%.[14]
As of thecensus[17] of 2000, there were 10,761 people, 4,050 households, and 2,830 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 15 people per square mile (5.8 people/km2). There were 4,609 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2.3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.68%White, 1.15%Black orAfrican American, 0.57%Native American, 0.33%Asian, 0.04%Pacific Islander, 1.84% fromother races, and 1.39% from two or more races. 5.61% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 4,050 households, out of which 31.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.10% weremarried couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were non-families. 27.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.70% under the age of 18, 13.30% from 18 to 24, 22.80% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 18.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,671, and the median income for a family was $40,960. Males had a median income of $31,175 versus $18,968 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $16,064. About 8.50% of families and 10.70% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 14.60% of those under age 18 and 8.20% of those age 65 or over.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1888 | 1,851 | 57.79% | 934 | 29.16% | 418 | 13.05% |
| 1892 | 1,724 | 46.78% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,961 | 53.22% |
| 1896 | 1,729 | 48.75% | 1,731 | 48.80% | 87 | 2.45% |
| 1900 | 2,013 | 54.42% | 1,527 | 41.28% | 159 | 4.30% |
| 1904 | 1,994 | 64.16% | 727 | 23.39% | 387 | 12.45% |
| 1908 | 1,832 | 51.35% | 1,407 | 39.43% | 329 | 9.22% |
| 1912 | 697 | 20.57% | 1,314 | 38.77% | 1,378 | 40.66% |
| 1916 | 2,494 | 42.62% | 2,801 | 47.86% | 557 | 9.52% |
| 1920 | 3,651 | 68.95% | 1,532 | 28.93% | 112 | 2.12% |
| 1924 | 3,920 | 68.53% | 1,303 | 22.78% | 497 | 8.69% |
| 1928 | 4,321 | 74.05% | 1,462 | 25.06% | 52 | 0.89% |
| 1932 | 3,107 | 49.33% | 3,037 | 48.22% | 154 | 2.45% |
| 1936 | 3,318 | 40.24% | 4,905 | 59.49% | 22 | 0.27% |
| 1940 | 4,792 | 56.49% | 3,635 | 42.85% | 56 | 0.66% |
| 1944 | 4,024 | 61.12% | 2,505 | 38.05% | 55 | 0.84% |
| 1948 | 4,002 | 58.15% | 2,752 | 39.99% | 128 | 1.86% |
| 1952 | 5,572 | 74.51% | 1,832 | 24.50% | 74 | 0.99% |
| 1956 | 4,638 | 70.48% | 1,926 | 29.27% | 17 | 0.26% |
| 1960 | 4,329 | 64.81% | 2,328 | 34.85% | 23 | 0.34% |
| 1964 | 2,390 | 39.19% | 3,665 | 60.10% | 43 | 0.71% |
| 1968 | 3,141 | 56.23% | 2,049 | 36.68% | 396 | 7.09% |
| 1972 | 3,843 | 66.22% | 1,825 | 31.45% | 135 | 2.33% |
| 1976 | 2,584 | 44.82% | 3,056 | 53.01% | 125 | 2.17% |
| 1980 | 3,211 | 57.67% | 1,847 | 33.17% | 510 | 9.16% |
| 1984 | 3,598 | 68.68% | 1,559 | 29.76% | 82 | 1.57% |
| 1988 | 2,503 | 53.89% | 2,033 | 43.77% | 109 | 2.35% |
| 1992 | 2,158 | 40.94% | 1,555 | 29.50% | 1,558 | 29.56% |
| 1996 | 2,842 | 59.34% | 1,434 | 29.94% | 513 | 10.71% |
| 2000 | 2,903 | 64.23% | 1,422 | 31.46% | 195 | 4.31% |
| 2004 | 3,182 | 72.71% | 1,130 | 25.82% | 64 | 1.46% |
| 2008 | 2,780 | 69.14% | 1,163 | 28.92% | 78 | 1.94% |
| 2012 | 2,676 | 72.70% | 911 | 24.75% | 94 | 2.55% |
| 2016 | 2,837 | 74.58% | 695 | 18.27% | 272 | 7.15% |
| 2020 | 3,262 | 75.53% | 965 | 22.34% | 92 | 2.13% |
| 2024 | 3,073 | 77.39% | 825 | 20.78% | 73 | 1.84% |
TheKansas Constitution was amended in 1986 to allow the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with the approval of voters, either with or without a minimum of 30% of sales coming from food. Rice County is one of 35 counties in the state that allows for the sale of liquor by the drink without the minimum food sales stipulation.[19]
List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Rice County.[20]
Rice County is divided into twentytownships. The cities ofLyons andSterling are consideredgovernmentally independent and are excluded from the census figures for the townships. In the following table, the population center is the largest city (or cities) included in that township's population total, if it is of a significant size.
The CW television seriesSuperman & Lois places Superman's home town ofSmallville in Rice County ("Pilot").
Places adjacent to Rice County, Kansas | |
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Municipalities and communities ofRice County, Kansas,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| Townships | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
