George Rewerts House · National Register of Historic Places
Defiance’s story
Defiance in pictures
1 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
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DefianceIA
A town of 251.
Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
251
residents
Typical home
$217K
+2.8% in a year
Household income
$54K
median
Median age
36.2
years
Jobs based here
125
Balanced
Small town
251 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Defiance’s report card
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The data
Ordered by what stands out in Defiance. Another town gets a different order.
Natural hazards
High risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 68% of U.S. communities.
68risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesDrought
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Defiance has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 11°, and about 35 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
35″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–32°
Spring37–60°
Summer61–82°
Fall39–62°
Oct 11
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Defiance
Most working residents leave Defiance for work: only 4% work in town. The top destinations are Harlan (20%), Elk Horn (9%) and Omaha (6%). Half commute less than 23 miles.
4%work in town
Where working residents work
In Defiance4%
Harlan20%
Elk Horn9%
Omaha6%
Denison5%
23 mi
median commute distance
125
jobs based in Defiance
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Health
How healthy Defiance is
Defiance beats the Iowa average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6.
32 measures vs. Iowa
10 better16 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Defiance | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.6% | 6.4% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.9% | 9.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.8% | 8.7% |
Myrtue Medical Center
12.3 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Housing
A typical Defiance home is worth about $217K
The typical Defiance home is worth about $217,000, up 2.8% in a year, 10% below the Iowa typical home.
$217KZillow home value
Typical home value
Defiance$217K
Iowa$240K
+2.8%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
About Defiance
City in Iowa, United States
Defiance is a city in Shelby County, Iowa, United States, along the West Branch of the West Nishnabotna River. The population was 245 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 245
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,276 ft
- ZIP code
- 51527