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Living in
Defiance.
About
Life in Defiance
Living in Defiance means embracing a quiet, affordable slice of northwestern Ohio where you're not paying a premium for space or housing—median home values hover around $140,000 and rent runs about $853 a month, making it genuinely accessible for families and first-time buyers. The job market is steady rather than booming, with a 4.5% unemployment rate and a median household income around $61,439, so you're looking at stable, blue-collar and small-business work rather than explosive career growth; most people who stay here have roots, work locally, or commute the 18 minutes or so to slightly larger regional employers. The community skews family-oriented and established—about 40% of households are married couples, and the median age of 39.7 years reflects a town where people put down roots rather than pass through, though the population has edged down slightly in recent years.
Defiance at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
14.7%
Foreign-Born
1.1%
Broadband Internet
89.5%
of households
Population Growth
-0.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.1% foreign-born, most often from Venezuela
Who lives in Defiance: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Defiance, the largest foreign-born group is from Venezuela (38.4%), and 5.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
19.7%
of residents
65 and Older
21.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.4%
of households
Married Couples
42.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.25
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 18% below OH average
Rent, home values, and income in Defiance
In Defiance, rent runs 18% below the OH average, and home values are 35% below the OH average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
30.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.4%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,495
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
69.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1965
median year built
Vacant Homes
9.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $184,452 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for OH
Unemployment in Defiance
Unemployment in Defiance County, which includes Defiance, is close to the OH average.
Unemployment rate
Defiance: Defiance County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Defiance County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Defiance Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute18.2 min avg
How Defiance residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Defiance, most residents drive alone to work (83%), and 78% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 35 mi
Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport (TOL)
Regional airport · few flights67k passengers boarded in 2025
- 83 mi
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
Major hub16.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 35% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Defiance runs 35% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
215
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,045.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Defiance Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 5 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
41.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Defiance County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Defiance County, which includes Defiance, the most common type is winter weather, with 5 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | Hail | $1,500 |
| 2024 | 2 | Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | $6,000 |
| 2023 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $63,000 |
| 2022 | 9 | Winter Weather | $40,000 |
| 2021 | 9 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2020 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 14 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2018 | 2 | Winter Weather | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Defiance County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Allen County, OH (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 38 miles from Defiance) is typically good — 235 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
235
per year
Moderate Days
115
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Allen County, OH (38 mi away)
Climate83°F summers, 20°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Defiance has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and cold winters (avg low 20°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
63°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
35°/20°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
37.7"
Annual Snowfall
24.2"
Hot Days/Year
17
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
127
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
132
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 18°F | 2.59" |
| Feb | 36°F | 20°F | 2.17" |
| Mar | 46°F | 28°F | 2.55" |
| Apr | 60°F | 38°F | 3.67" |
| May | 71°F | 50°F | 4.26" |
| Jun | 81°F | 60°F | 3.63" |
| Jul | 85°F | 63°F | 3.66" |
| Aug | 82°F | 62°F | 3.50" |
| Sep | 77°F | 54°F | 3.25" |
| Oct | 63°F | 43°F | 2.87" |
| Nov | 49°F | 32°F | 3.00" |
| Dec | 37°F | 24°F | 2.55" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 4.5/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Defiance
Defiance has 2 hospitals, averaging 4.5 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
5.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.5 / 5
Promedica Defiance Regional Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available
Mercy Health - Defiance Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Defiance
Defiance's student/teacher ratio is 16.6:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 21.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
3
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
21.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Defiance
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 499 students · in-state tuition $29,320 · 47% graduate · median earnings $50,327 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: River Raisin National Battlefield Park, 67 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Defiance
Defiance has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being River Raisin National Battlefield Park (67 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
River Raisin National Battlefield Park
National Battlefield Park
67 mi awayPerry's Victory & International Peace Memorial
Memorial
84 mi awayPublic Libraries in Defiance
Defiance Public Library
320 Fort St., Defiance
Cities Near Defiance
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Defiance?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Defiance FAQ
Is Defiance, Ohio affordable?⌄
Defiance's median rent is $853/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $61,439/year. Median home value is $139,900.
Is Defiance, Ohio safe?⌄
Defiance's violent crime rate was 215 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1046 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Defiance, Ohio?⌄
Defiance County, which includes Defiance, has an unemployment rate of 4.5%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Defiance, Ohio?⌄
The cost of living in Defiance is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $853/month and median household income is $61,439/year. The median home value is $139,900. About 30% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Defiance, Ohio?⌄
The average commute in Defiance is 18 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from