| Year | Won | Margin | Democratic | Republican | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | R | 17,353 | 18,264 | 36,412 | |
| 2020 | R | 17,402 | 17,464 | 35,686 | |
| 2016 | R | 14,437 | 15,429 | 32,443 | |
| 2012 | D | 17,054 | 14,384 | 32,267 | |
| 2008 | D | 17,381 | 13,723 | 31,799 | |
| 2004 | D | 16,425 | 13,881 | 30,745 | |
| 2000 | D | 13,140 | 10,876 | 26,021 | |
| 1996 | D | 12,821 | 7,016 | 23,320 | |
| 1992 | D | 10,908 | 7,015 | 24,113 | |
| 1988 | D | 11,570 | 9,460 | 21,267 | |
| 1984 | D | 10,880 | 10,456 | 21,525 | |
| 1980 | D | 9,531 | 8,168 | 20,673 | |
| 1976 | D | 10,590 | 8,311 | 19,607 | |
| 1972 | R | 8,065 | 9,195 | 17,475 | |
| 1968 | D | 7,785 | 7,037 | 15,319 | |
| 1964 | D | 9,299 | 5,518 | 14,843 | |
| 1960 | R | 6,752 | 8,248 | 15,031 | |
| 1956 | R | 4,489 | 8,471 | 12,984 | |
| 1952 | R | 4,330 | 9,334 | 13,693 | |
| 1948 | R | 5,832 | 6,301 | 12,321 | |
| 1944 | R | 4,470 | 6,824 | 11,322 | |
| 1940 | R | 4,687 | 8,143 | 12,875 | |
| 1936 | D | 5,928 | 4,888 | 12,327 | |
| 1932 | D | 6,289 | 4,743 | 11,215 | |
| 1928 | R | 5,014 | 6,576 | 11,639 | |
| 1924 | R | 1,199 | 5,883 | 9,603 | |
| 1920 | R | 2,040 | 6,500 | 8,715 | |
| 1916 | R | 2,083 | 2,408 | 4,661 | |
| 1912 | D | 1,613 | 1,020 | 4,597 | |
| 1908 | R | 1,614 | 2,821 | 4,590 | |
| 1904 | R | 1,063 | 3,160 | 4,428 | |
| 1900 | R | 1,688 | 2,924 | 4,844 | |
| 1896 | R | 2,002 | 3,483 | 5,711 | |
| 1892 | D | 2,245 | 1,794 | 4,649 | |
| 1888 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1884 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1876 | — | — | — | — |
Home to Faribault and Northfield — seat of Carleton and St. Olaf colleges — Rice County shifted from D+6 in 2020 to R+2.5 in 2024, a swing that mirrors broader rural Minnesota realignment despite its campus presence.
The Democratic margin in Rice County has rarely exceeded twenty-five points in modern history; the Republican margin has rarely exceeded fifty-one points. 2024 delivered the county to the Republican candidate by three points.
Rice County's demographics resemble the country more than they resemble most counties. A 80% non-Hispanic-white share, a 10% poverty rate, and a median household income of $83,181 — all within the broad national range. The county's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Pacific County and Iberville Parish.
