City profile · Ohio · Census ACS 2023

Defiance, OH

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Defiance - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

16,830
Residents
$63,118
Median income
$134,600
Median home
$980
Median rent (state)

Defiance - the verdict

Defiance ranks in the 40th percentile for household income and the 49th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

40th
percentile, household income
22nd
percentile, home value
18th
percentile, median rent
49th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Defiance, OH

Ohio's Defiance is a small town, with 16,830 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Defiance households earn a median of $63,118 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.1%. Typical homes in Defiance are valued around $134,600, and the median resident age is 41.3 years. About 22.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 58.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 24 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 50% from five years earlier. Defiance reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1396.5 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 50.4°F with 37.7 inches of precipitation per year and 24.2 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Ohio run below the national norm: the state registers 92.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $980 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Ohio's average monthly utility costs around $228 (state average). The average commute for Defiance workers runs 17.4 minutes, with 85.8% driving alone and 5.3% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 41.9 out of 100 (Low).

Population

16,830 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Ohio

Median Household Income

$63,118 /yr

Poverty 8.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

92.8 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Ohio average

How does Defiance compare to other US cities?

Defiance measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 40% higher than other cities
Home value 22% pricier than other cities
Median rent 18% pricier than other cities
Safety 49% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Ohio and the picture shifts: Defiance ranks #164 of 281 Ohio cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Defiance's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Ohio, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

40thIncome percentile
49thSafety percentile

40th percentile nationally for median household income · 49th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Defiance's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Defiance's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 56 Avg. percentile National median
Defiance's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Defiance's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$134,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 78% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Defiance $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Defiance, OH Defiance, OH's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Defiance, OH-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Defiance, OH median $63,118/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Defiance, OH's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Defiance, OH. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 22.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
16,830
Median Income
$63,118
Median Home Value
$134,600
Median Age
41.3
Poverty Rate
8.1%
Labor force participation
58.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1396.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
217.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1179.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
50.4°F
Annual Precipitation
37.7"
Annual Snowfall
24.2"

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
16,950 residents17,000 residents17,050 residents17,100 residents 202020212022202320242025 17,057 residents 17,009 residents ▼ -0.3%
Defiance's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
24
housing units authorized
Single-Family
18
detached homes
Multifamily
6
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 16
2020 16
2021 18
2022 13
2023 13
2024 24

Permit volume increased 50% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
17.4 minutes
Drive Alone
85.8%
Carpool
5.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.7%
Work from Home
5.3%
Other
0.8%

Based on 7,920 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Ohio - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$78
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$228
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Ohio state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Ohio state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Defiance sits in

Cost of Living Index
92.8
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$980/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
41.9 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Ohio

Mount Vernon
16,802 people
Fairview Park
17,049 people
Norwalk
17,054 people
Aurora
17,386 people
Streetsboro
17,514 people
Eastlake
17,538 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Defiance's 16,830 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Aberdeen, MD
16,831 people
Hannibal, MO
16,825 people
Belle Glade, FL
16,818 people
Mount Dora, FL
16,812 people
El Segundo, CA
16,863 people
Marion, IL
16,796 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Defiance's $63,118 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Noorvik, AK
$63,125 median income
Merino, CO
$63,125 median income
Elk River, ID
$63,125 median income
Tetonia, ID
$63,125 median income
Coffeen, IL
$63,125 median income
Evansville, IL
$63,125 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Defiance, OH Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Defiance, OH - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 82.1% 9.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 16.0% White 82.1% Black or African American 3.3% Asian 0.4% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.2% Two or more races 9.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Defiance compares to nearby Ohio cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Defiance (this city) 16,830 $63,118
Mount Vernon 16,802 $54,335
Fairview Park 17,049 $77,688
Norwalk 17,054 $58,940
Census ACS 5-year FIPS OH FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Defiance, OH?

What is the population of Defiance, OH? +

The population of Defiance, OH stands at 16,830 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Defiance, OH? +

Defiance households earn a median of $63,118 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Defiance? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Defiance; the closest available measure is the Ohio state average, a cost of living index of 92.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Ohio vary by metro area.

Is Defiance, OH safe? +

Defiance has a total crime rate of 1396.5 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Defiance, OH? +

Homes in Defiance carry a median value of $134,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Defiance? +

Climate normals put Defiance's yearly average temperature at 50.4°F, 37.7 inches of precipitation, and 24.2 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.