United States › Ohio › Defiance County COUNTY
Defiance County Ohio · 38,292 residents (2025 est.) · 411 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 38,343 people, Defiance County is a county in Ohio. 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Few US counties rank higher on income. Owners hold 79% of the housing stock. 1% of people here were born outside the United States. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $163,200.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 39,500 in 2000
38,292 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
93 / sq mi
Unchangedsince 2009
from 94 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
38K 38K 39K 39K 40K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Defiance County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $73,064
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $44,938 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,667 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 23.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 5.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.402 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.5%
Public administration 4.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.7%
Transportation & warehousing 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.9%
Education & health services 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$163,200
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $85,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$846
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $472 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 79.6% in 2000
20.7% rent
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.48 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 37.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.4 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 89.8%(35,471)
Hispanic / Latino 7.2%(2,857)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 84.7%(32,495)
Hispanic / Latino 11.1%(4,270)
from 26 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 23 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 24 more ancestry groups with data from 14.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 84.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 87.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 63.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 76.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 25.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 13.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 11.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 77.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 87.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 95.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 3.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 35.2%(5,495)
Women 15+
Never married 22.5%(3,523)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 11.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 65.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 20.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 16.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 75.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 35.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 20%(349)
Gulf War (1990s) 13.1%(228)
Share of the 1,747 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Defiance County Head to head
Compare Defiance County to nearby counties DEFIANCE COUNTY VS
Paulding County
Income $67,731 −7%
Home value $140,800 −14%
Population 18,727 −51%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DEFIANCE COUNTY VS
Williams County
Income $61,048 −16%
Home value $150,000 −8%
Population 36,549 −5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DEFIANCE COUNTY VS
Henry County
Income $80,099 +10%
Home value $168,600 +3%
Population 27,598 −28%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DEFIANCE COUNTY VS
Fulton County
Income $72,864 same
Home value $191,000 +17%
Population 41,853 +9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Defiance County, Ohio? Defiance County, Ohio has about 38,343 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Defiance County, Ohio? The typical household in Defiance County, Ohio earns about $73,064 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Defiance County, Ohio expensive? In Defiance County, Ohio, the median home is worth about $163,200, and the typical rent is about $846 a month.
How educated are people in Defiance County, Ohio? About 19.0% of adults age 25 and over in Defiance County, Ohio hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Defiance County, Ohio? About 10.5% of people in Defiance County, Ohio live below the federal poverty line.
Has Defiance County, Ohio grown since 1990? Yes, Defiance County, Ohio has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,007 residents, a change of about -3 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 