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COUNTY

Defiance County

Ohio · 38,292 residents (2025 est.) · 411.439 sq mi
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The short version

Defiance County has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $73,064. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $163,200. It sits in the top 10% of US counties for household income.

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

Total population
38,343
−3%since 2000
from 39,500 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
93 / sq mi
Unchangedsince 2009
from 94 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
41.1
+13%since 2000
from 36.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:38,292 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
38K38K39K39K40K1990201020202024Defiance County
202438K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.8%(2,219)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.3%(2,425)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.3%(2,426)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.9%(2,651)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.8%(2,221)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.6%(4,453)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.8%(4,919)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.6%(4,454)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.6%(4,834)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.8%(4,520)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.5%(2,498)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.9%(723)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$73,064
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $44,938 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$35,589
+81%since 2000
from $19,667 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
48.9%
+25.0 ptssince 2009
from 23.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
10.5%
+4.9 ptssince 2000
from 5.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.401
Unchangedsince 2010
from 0.402 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade24.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Information13.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade6.7%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance5.9%
US avg: 5.9%
Other services5.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical5.5%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration4.4%
US avg: 4.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.7%
US avg: 1.6%
Transportation & warehousing1.7%
US avg: 2.2%
Construction1.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$163,200
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $85,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$846
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $472 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
79.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2000
from 79.6% in 2000
20.7% rent
Vacancy rate
7.5%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
15.1%
−6.8 ptssince 2009
from 21.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
27.7%
−10.0 ptssince 2009
from 37.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.2
−5%since 2009
from 2.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
39
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Defiance County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic89.8%(35,471)
Black1.7%(657)
Hispanic / Latino7.2%(2,857)
Asian0.3%(138)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic84.7%(32,495)
Black1.6%(619)
Hispanic / Latino11.1%(4,270)
Asian0.2%(89)
Other2.3%(870)
Diversity Score
34
+29%since 2009
from 26 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
29
+27%since 2020
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

Hispanic origin
Mexican9.2%(3,545)
Puerto Rican0.8%(310)
Salvadoran0.3%(97)
Cuban0.2%(86)
Venezuelan0.2%(76)
Costa Rican0.1%(21)
Spaniard0%(15)
Asian origin
Filipino0.2%(77)
Bhutanese0.1%(20)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.3%(114)
Ancestry
German34.9%(13,375)
Irish9.1%(3,503)
English8.9%(3,401)
American6.1%(2,356)
Swiss2.7%(1,045)
Italian2.5%(961)
French2.3%(894)
Polish1.7%(663)
Scottish1.5%(573)
Dutch1.5%(562)
Scotch-Irish1.2%(468)
Swedish1%(371)
+ 24 more ancestry groups with data
Hungarian0.9%(329)
Belgian0.7%(278)
Czech0.4%(162)
British0.3%(111)
Russian0.2%(75)
Norwegian0.2%(61)
Welsh0.1%(56)
Finnish0.1%(48)
Greek0.1%(44)
Arab0.1%(33)
Austrian0.1%(33)
Lebanese0.1%(30)
Serbian0.1%(25)
Slovene0%(15)
Armenian0%(13)
Slovak0%(13)
Danish0%(11)
Romanian0%(10)
Syrian0%(3)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Mexican population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population · Largest American population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
19.0%
+4.8 ptssince 2000
from 14.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
92.8%
+8.1 ptssince 2000
from 84.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
6.5%
+1.9 ptssince 2000
from 4.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.8 min
+54%since 2000
from 12.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
83.7%
−3.5 ptssince 2009
from 87.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
7.7%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 8.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
6.0%
+4.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.4%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.0%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.2%
−5.1 ptssince 2011
from 10.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
63.3%
−0.6 ptssince 2011
from 63.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
12.7%
+2.5 ptssince 2009
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
28.9%
−29.9 ptssince 2009
from 58.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.7%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 49.3% in 2009
Female
49.3%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 50.7% in 2009
Foreign born
0.9%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
5.9%
−43.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
14.5%
+1.5 ptssince 2012
from 13.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
8.4%
−80.4 ptssince 2013
from 88.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
88.0%
+10.5 ptssince 2017
from 77.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
94.8%
−0.7 ptssince 2016
from 95.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
3.4%
Unchangedsince 2016
from 3.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married35.2%(5,495)
Married52.9%(8,270)
Widowed3%(466)
Divorced8.9%(1,397)
Women 15+
Never married22.5%(3,523)
Married55.8%(8,730)
Widowed7.8%(1,219)
Divorced13.9%(2,173)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Head to head

Compare Defiance County to nearby counties

DEFIANCE COUNTY VS
Paulding County
Income$67,731−7%
Home value$140,800−14%
Population18,727−51%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DEFIANCE COUNTY VS
Williams County
Income$61,048−16%
Home value$150,000−8%
Population36,549−5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DEFIANCE COUNTY VS
Henry County
Income$80,099+10%
Home value$168,600+3%
Population27,598−28%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DEFIANCE COUNTY VS
Fulton County
Income$72,864same
Home value$191,000+17%
Population41,853+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.

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Explore from here

9 census tracts
Census Tract 9582Census Tract 9589Census Tract 9587Census Tract 9586Census Tract 9581Census Tract 9583Census Tract 9585Census Tract 9584Census Tract 9588
8 ZIP codes
ZIP 43512ZIP 43526ZIP 43556ZIP 43549ZIP 43536ZIP 43519ZIP 43530ZIP 43520
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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