Rice County, Kansas

Rice County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and largest city is Lyons. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 9,427. The county was named in memory of Samuel Allen Rice, Brigadier-General, United States volunteers, killed April 30, 1864, at Jenkins Ferry, Arkansas.

History

Early history

For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America. In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau.

19th century 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 for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre.

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1867, Rice County was established.

The Santa Fe Trail followed the route of present-day U.S. Route 56. Ruts in the earth from the trail are still visible in several locations. (Ralph's Ruts are visible in aerial photos at .)

In 1878, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and parties from Marion and McPherson counties chartered the Marion and McPherson Railway Company.Marion County Kansas : Past and Present; Sondra Van Meter; MB Publishing House; LCCN 72-92041; 344 pages; 1972. In 1879, a branch line was built from Florence to McPherson; in 1880 it was extended to Lyons, then in 1881 was extended to Ellinwood.Fourth Annual Report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners for the Year Ending December 1, 1886 in State of Kansas; Kansas Publishing House; 1886. The line was leased and operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The line from Florence to Marion, was abandoned in 1968.Railway Abandonment 1968 In 1992, the line from Marion to McPherson was sold to Central 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.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.2%) is water.

Adjacent counties Ellsworth County (north) McPherson County (east) Reno County (south) Stafford County (southwest) Barton County (northwest)

National protected area Quivira National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition +Rice County, Kansas – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980 Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)11,37910,1419,8378,6837,52095.62%95.58%91.41%86.12%79.77%Black or African American alone (NH)1061161221121300.89%1.09%1.13%1.11%1.38%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)78515955410.66%0.48%0.55%0.55%0.43%Asian alone (NH)23183637300.19%0.17%0.33%0.37%0.32%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census350xx0.03%0.05%0.00%Other race alone (NH)25502140.21%0.05%0.00%0.02%0.15%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census100171402xx0.93%1.70%4.26%Hispanic or Latino (any race)2892796041,0181,2902.43%2.63%5.61%10.10%13.68%Total11,90010,61010,76110,0839,427 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 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.

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 and Pacific Islander, 4.6% from some other race, and 9.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 13.7% of the population.

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

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.

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%.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 10,761 people, 4,050 households, and 2,830 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 4,609 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 94.68% White, 1.15% Black or African American, 0.57% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.84% from other races, and 1.39% from two or more races. 5.61% of the population were Hispanic or Latino 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% were married 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. The per capita income for the county was $16,064. About 8.50% of families and 10.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.60% of those under age 18 and 8.20% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

Laws The Kansas 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.

Education

Colleges Sterling College in Sterling

Unified school districts Sterling USD 376 Chase–Raymond USD 401 Lyons USD 405 Little River–Windom USD 444

School district office in neighboring county Central Plains USD 112

Communities

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Rice County.

Cities

Alden Bushton Chase Frederick Geneseo Little River Lyons (county seat) Raymond Sterling

Unincorporated communities

Mitchell Pollard Saxman Silica

Ghost towns Crawford Galt

Townships Rice County is divided into twenty townships. The cities of Lyons and Sterling are considered governmentally 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.

Sources: 2000 U.S. Gazetteer from the U.S. Census Bureau. Township FIPS Populationcenter Population Populationdensity/km2 (/sq mi) Land areakm2 (sq mi) Water areakm2 (sq mi) Water % Geographic coordinates Atlanta 03075 233 3 (7) 90 (35) 0 (0) 0.25% Bell 05375 18 0 (0) 94 (36) 1 (0) 0.65% Center 12075 136 1 (4) 95 (37) 0 (0) 0.04% East Washington 19725 179 2 (5) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.03% Eureka 21900 65 1 (2) 95 (37) 0 (0) 0% Farmer 23100 441 5 (12) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0% Galt 25175 51 1 (1) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.22% Harrison 30425 192 2 (5) 92 (35) 0 (0) 0.06% Lincoln 41100 577 6 (16) 95 (37) 0 (0) 0% Mitchell 47525 131 1 (4) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.18% Odessa 52150 55 1 (2) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.10% Pioneer 55925 101 1 (3) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.03% Raymond 58575 185 2 (5) 92 (36) 1 (0) 0.71% Rockville 60725 134 1 (4) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.04% Sterling 68225 223 2 (5) 114 (44) 1 (0) 1.01% Union 72325 741 8 (21) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0% Valley 73100 276 4 (9) 77 (30) 1 (0) 1.11% Victoria 73825 364 4 (10) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.06% West Washington 77425 138 1 (4) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.12% Wilson 79775 147 2 (4) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.02%

Trivia The CW television series Superman & Lois places Superman's home town of Smallville in Rice County ("Pilot").

Rice County, Kansas

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