Rice County, MN Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Rice County, Minnesota is about $382,500 (the 2026 median across 8 ZIP codes, at ~$192/sq ft) — 29% more expensive than the Minnesota median and 32% more expensive than the typical U.S. home.
How Rice County compares
Rice County is relatively expensive for housing nationally: its typical home costs $382,500 against $297,000 for Minnesota and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $262,000 to $600,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Rice County | $382,500 | $192 |
| Minnesota | $297,000 | $188 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Rice County home prices by ZIP code
The 8 most valuable ZIP codes in Rice County (of 8 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55088 Webster | $600,000 | $351 | +57% |
| 55053 Nerstrand | $425,000 | $299 | +11% |
| 55019 Dundas | $394,000 | $178 | +3% |
| 55057 Northfield | $393,000 | $200 | +3% |
| 55046 Lonsdale | $372,000 | $177 | -3% |
| 55052 Morristown | $327,000 | $200 | -15% |
| 55021 Faribault | $302,000 | $184 | -21% |
| 55087 Warsaw | $262,000 | $86 | -32% |
Home value appreciation in Rice County
Home prices in Rice County have risen about 76% over the last 10 years (≈5.8% a year) and +49.7% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +4.3% — still rising. A home worth $382,500 today was worth roughly $217,206 ten years ago.
See where that trend takes a specific home with the home appreciation calculator — statewide, Minnesota is +71.4% over the same 10 years. Past appreciation is a track record, not a forecast; local prices can fall.
Calculators for Rice County
Run the numbers for Rice County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Rice County
To buy the typical $382,500 home in Rice County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $104,000 a year (about $2,430 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $124,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $19,100 | $3,020/mo | $129,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $38,300 | $2,890/mo | $124,000/yr |
| 20% | $76,500 | $2,430/mo | $104,000/yr |
Assumes a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5%, property tax at 1.1% and insurance at 0.45% of value per year, PMI of 0.75% on loans with less than 20% down, and the standard 28% housing-to-income rule. Your rate, taxes, and HOA will move these — run your own numbers in the mortgage calculator.
What your budget buys in Rice County
At about $192 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Rice County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $200k | 1040 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $250k | 1300 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $300k | 1560 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $400k | 2080 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $500k | 2600 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
Wondering where that budget goes further? The relocation calculator ranks hundreds of U.S. cities by what the same money buys — it opens filtered to Minnesota.
Estimate a specific home in Rice County
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Rice County home prices: frequently asked
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Browse all Minnesota cities and counties, or look up price per square foot by ZIP code nationwide.
Directional estimates from public market data (Realtor.com & Zillow research; FHFA house price index; Census ZIP-to-county relationships), not appraisals.