Rice County is a Republican stronghold. About 23% of voters here vote Democratic and 77% Republican.
About 62% of adults in Rice County typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Rice County, ~14% vote Democratic, ~48% Republican, and ~38% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Rice County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Rice County leans more Republican than 5 of 9 neighbors.
Rice County runs about 38 points more Republican than Kansas as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Rice County. The northwest side is the most Republican-leaning (R+69) and the south side is the least Republican-leaning (R+50), a spread of about 19 points.
Why Rice County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Rice County. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with strong routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a higher rate; Rice County, KS sits above the national average on this measure. Dental visits do not drive turnout; the rate reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access, which line up with who votes.
Why turnout in Rice County looks the way it does
Turnout in Rice County sits close to the national pattern. Routine healthcare access, homeownership, education, and food security all land near their national averages here. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Reno County, KS R+35
- Ellsworth County, KS R+56
- McPherson County, KS R+44
- Barton County, KS R+47
- Stafford County, KS R+66
- Saline County, KS R+26
- Harvey County, KS R+33
- Kingman County, KS R+58
- Lincoln County, KS R+67
- Pawnee County, KS R+49
Counties with Similar Populations
- Hamilton County, NE R+61
- Pipestone County, MN R+48
- Deer Lodge County, MT R+18
- Latimer County, OK R+66
- Clear Creek County, CO D+21
- Emmet County, IA R+37
- Cheyenne County, NE R+58
- Howard County, IA R+35
- Charles Mix County, SD R+39
- Beaverhead County, MT R+42
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Kansas Secretary of State, Elections, distributed by the Voting and Election Science Team. Demographic inputs come from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates and the 2020 Decennial Census). Health and environmental inputs come from the CDC (PLACES and the Environmental Justice Index). Land cover comes from the USGS and EPA. Election-day and lead-up weather come from PRISM 4km daily grids and the NOAA Global Historical Climatology Network. Mail-voting and election-administration patterns come from the MIT Election Lab's Survey of the Performance of American Elections. Block-group crime detail comes from CrimeGrade. Internet data and modeling support provided by ISPreports.org.
Modeling and analysis by the BestNeighborhood data science team. Full methodology and findings: political spectrum map.
Methodology reviewed by the BestNeighborhood data team. Last updated May 2026.