1879 · from Defiance’s archive DefianceOH
A town of 17,276, settled in 1822. Healthier than 65% of U.S. towns.
Wikimedia Commons
Population
17,276
+3.5% since 2010
Median home value
$140K
Census ACS
Household income
$61K
median
Jobs based here
8,999
Balanced
What makes Defiance stand out The 3 things Defiance does most differently from other towns.
1879 · Jackson Street, Defiance, Ohio (approximately 1879) - DPLA - b3116adb9a8b823627449c97aca402fa · Wikimedia Commons
Defiance’s story
204 years in pictures
12 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 10 places on the National Register.
Explore the history →
1879
From the archive · today’s picture 147 years ago in Defiance Mouth of the Tiffin River, Defiance, Ohio (approximately 1879) - DPLA - 572130f38435e418ec45875d52a32151
Photo · Wikimedia Commons. A different picture from Defiance’s archive appears here every day.
Do you remember this? Share a memory See all 12 archive items →
Residents weigh in
Defiance is #37 of 1,022 in OH for “Closest to a top hospital”. Fair?
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In the news: Continental vs Away - Girls Middle School Volleyball 09/28/2026 | Liv… → How do you get to work from Defiance? → Is Defiance still affordable for young families? → What’s a piece of Defiance history most people don’t know? →
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The data Ordered by what stands out in Defiance. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
About one in three working residents works right in Defiance About one in 3 of Defiance’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Napoleon (7%), Archbold (4%) and Bryan (4%). Half commute less than 16 miles.
33% work in town
Where working residents work In Defiance 33%
Napoleon 7%
Archbold 4%
Bryan 4%
Toledo 3%
16 mi
median commute distance
8,999
jobs based in Defiance
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Health
Healthier than 35% of U.S. towns Defiance beats the Ohio average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2.
C+ Health Grade
32 measures vs. Ohio
What stands out Defiance OH More uninsured adults 10.3% 8% Fewer adults seeing a dentist 58.8% 62.9%
Mercy Health - Defiance Hospital
1.3 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
54th
percentile among OH towns
Housing
Homes in Defiance sell for about $180K The median sale price was $180,000 in May 2026.
$180K median sale price
Market temperature
Seller’s market A strong seller's market Buyer’s Seller’s Outdoors
4% of Defiance is conserved land 3.9 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves.
4% conserved
Green: conserved land · dashed: trails · numbers: the places below 4%
conserved · 343 of 8,503 acres
3.9 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
#448
most conserved land in OH
Biggest places to walk Trails Acres 1. Diehl Park — 39 2. Riverside Park — 33 3. Bronson Park — 25
Natural hazards
High risk, with inland flooding at the top Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 70% of U.S. communities.
70 risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
70 High risk Lower Higher Inland flooding Tornadoes
248
paid flood claims since 1978
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers Defiance has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 24 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
24″ snow a winter
Typical low → high °F Winter 21–35°
Spring 39–60°
Summer 61–83°
Fall 43–63°
Oct 24
typical first frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
Safety
Less crime per resident than 45% of U.S. towns Defiance reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 55% report less.
B− Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents Defiance 2.1
Ohio 2.9
U.S. 3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents Defiance 10.5
Ohio 14.7
U.S. 15.5
45th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
36th
percentile among OH towns
37
violent crimes reported in 2025
180
property crimes reported in 2025
College town
Defiance College calls Defiance home
Landmarks 10 places in Defiance on the National Register of Historic Places.
All landmarks → Famous people from Defiance 30 notable people were born in Defiance.
See all 30 →
Defiance is a city in Defiance County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The population was 17,066 at the 2020 census. It is located at the confluence of the Auglaize and Maumee rivers about 55 miles (89 km) southwest of Toledo and 47 miles (76 km) northeast of Fort Wayne, Indiana, in Ohio's northwestern corner.
From Wikipedia , licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Established 1822
Population 17,066
Area 13 sq mi
Elevation 676 ft
ZIP code 43512
Area code 419 Copyright © 2026 TownTapestry · Stitching communities together · In loving memory of John F. Cullinane Browse by state · Privacy · Terms 
1879
