Rice Lake, Minnesota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 244, Rice Lake's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Rice Lake is a small community located in Minnesota, within Clearwater County. The total population is 244. It ranks as the 650th most populous out of 914 Census-designated places in Minnesota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Rice Lake is 33.1 years. This is 15% lower than the state median of 38.8 years. With 34.8% of the population under 18, Rice Lake has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Rice Lake is $41,136. This is 54% lower than the state median of $89,062. It is also 49% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 47.9%. This is 416% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.3%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 12.2%. This is 200% higher than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $18,800. Housing costs are 94% lower than the state median of $329,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 0.5x, Rice Lake is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 60.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 17% lower than the state average of 72.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Rice Lake is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 0.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (11.1%) is well below the state average of 75.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 6.4%.

Education

2.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 93% lower than the state rate of 39.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 81.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Rice Lake, Minnesota is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Minnesota state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 914 Census-designated places in Minnesota. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.