County
Defiance County, Ohio
Ohio · 38,292 residents (July 2025 estimate) · 8 ZIP codes · 16 cities, villages and townships
38,292 people (July 2025 estimate), +0.0% since the 2020 census; life expectancy 76.2 years; median household income $71,913 (2024). The county in numbers
Local events in Defiance County
342 events in the next 90 days from 12 public calendars. All local events in Defiance County
Checked October 20; the events page is refreshed daily.
Defiance County in numbers
The public records that are kept county by county, in 26 blocks. Every figure names its source; a tile's small line gives the comparison or the date.
Population
How many people live here, how the count has moved since 2020 and since 1900, and how the USDA classes the county.
- residents, July 2025 estimate
- 38,292
- Census Bureau vintage 2025
- since the April 2020 census
- +0.0%
- from 38,288 in the Census Bureau's April 2020 estimates base
- births since July 2020
- 2,026
- deaths since July 2020
- 2,359
- net migration since July 2020
- +363
- people who moved in, minus people who moved out
- net domestic migration, 2025
- -19
- moved in from elsewhere in the U.S., minus moved out
- net international migration, 2025
- -3
Defiance County peaked at 39,987 people in 1980.
It is 1.5 times its 1900 size.
USDA rural-urban continuum code 6 of 9 (1 is the most metropolitan): nonmetro - urban population of 5,000 to 20,000, adjacent to a metro area.
USDA ERS county typology (2015 codes): a nonmetro county with a manufacturing-dependent economy, with none of the ERS distress flags.
| Year | People | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 6,966 | first census that counted the county |
| 1900 | 26,387 | decennial census |
| 1950 | 25,925 | decennial census |
| 1970 | 36,949 | decennial census |
| 1990 | 39,350 | decennial census |
| 2000 | 39,502 | Census Bureau estimates base, April 1 |
| 2010 | 39,037 | decennial census |
| 2020 | 38,288 | Census Bureau estimates base, April 1 |
| 2025 | 38,292 | July estimate |
Source: Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (vintage 2025, join_popest.py); decennial counts 1900-1990 from 'Population of States and Counties of the United States 1790-1990', 2000/2010 from intercensal files; USDA ERS Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, 2023; USDA ERS county typology codes, 2015 edition · Census population estimates · USDA ERS county codes · USDA ERS county typology · About this topic
Moving in and out
People on tax returns that changed county between the returns filed in 2022 and 2023, counted by the IRS.
- people moved in, 2022 to 2023
- 1,520
- on tax returns filed from a new county
- people moved out
- 1,418
- net people
- +102
- moved in, minus moved out
- people stayed put
- 31,709
- income that moved in
- $39 million
- adjusted gross income on the arrivals' 2023 returns
- income that moved out
- $41 million
- adjusted gross income on the leavers' 2023 returns
| From | People |
|---|---|
| Williams, OH | 278 |
| Paulding, OH | 175 |
| Henry, OH | 111 |
| To | People |
|---|---|
| Williams, OH | 244 |
| Paulding, OH | 170 |
| Henry, OH | 144 |
Source: IRS Statistics of Income county-to-county migration flows, 2022-2023 · IRS migration data · About this topic
Income and poverty
The Census Bureau's 2024 small-area estimates for the county.
- of residents below the poverty line, 2024
- 8.9%
- of children below the poverty line, 2024
- 12.1%
- median household income, 2024
- $71,913
Source: Census SAIPE 2024 county estimates · Census SAIPE · About this topic
Jobs and wages
Unemployment in the latest month and what employers in the county pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- unemployment rate, July 2026
- 3.3%
- 4.8% a year earlier
- people in the labor force, July 2026
- 19,406
- looking for work
- 647
- average weekly wage, first quarter of 2026
- $1,122
- +2.1% on the year
- jobs covered by unemployment insurance
- 15,456
- +0.8% on the year
- establishments
- 939
| Sector | Jobs | Average weekly wage |
|---|---|---|
| manufacturing | 3,086 | $1,823 |
| retail | 2,177 | $697 |
| health care and social assistance | 2,152 | $1,175 |
Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics; BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2026 Q1 · BLS local unemployment · BLS QCEW · About this topic
The county economy
What the county produces and earns, from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
- real GDP, 2024 (2017 dollars)
- $1.7 billion
- +1.1% since 2019
- GDP in 2024 dollars
- $2.2 billion
- current dollars, before adjusting for inflation
- personal income per person, 2024
- $51,182
- 69th of Ohio's 88 counties
- change in income per person since 2019
- +24.1%
- before inflation
Source: BEA regional accounts: county GDP (CAGDP1), per capita personal income (CAINC1), 2024 · BEA county GDP · About this topic
Businesses opening and closing
How many workplaces with employees opened and closed each year since 1978, how many people applied to start a business, and how many businesses run with no employees at all.
- workplaces opened in 2023
- 58
- 58 closed
- net workplaces, 2019 to 2023
- -1
- openings minus closings
- applications to start a business, 2025
- 334
- +75% since 2019
- businesses with no employees, 2023
- 2,325
- +4% since 2012
A workplace here is one location with paid employees: a chain with five stores is five. An application to start a business is a request for a federal employer number, not an opening, and most applicants never hire anyone.
| Years | Opened | Closed | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 to 1989 | 74 | 67 | +7 |
| the 1990s | 62 | 58 | +4 |
| the 2000s | 59 | 64 | -5 |
| the 2010s | 46 | 47 | -2 |
| 2020 to 2023 | 56 | 53 | +3 |
| Year | Opened | Closed | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 40 | 54 | -14 |
| 2020 | 59 | 42 | +17 |
| 2021 | 45 | 51 | -6 |
| 2022 | 63 | 61 | +2 |
| 2023 | 58 | 58 | 0 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: Business Dynamics Statistics 1978-2023; Business Formation Statistics, county business applications 2005-2025; Nonemployer Statistics 2012-2023 · Census Business Dynamics Statistics · Census Business Formation Statistics, counties · Census Nonemployer Statistics · About this topic
Federal money
What the federal government obligated to the county in fiscal 2025, by county of performance; Social Security, Medicare and most benefits are not counted.
- in federal contracts performed in the county, fiscal 2025
- $52,272
- $1 a resident
- in federal grants, fiscal 2025
- $63 million
- $1,645 a resident
- in federal loans and loan guarantees
- -$15,470
- in direct federal payments to people and organizations
- $261 million
Source: USAspending federal awards by county of performance, fiscal 2025 · USAspending · About this topic
Health rankings
County Health Rankings 2025 measures for the county, with the Ohio figure alongside.
- life expectancy at birth
- 76.2 years
- Ohio 75.2
- years of life lost before 75, per 100,000 (premature death)
- 8,496.1
- Ohio 9,740
- population health group among U.S. counties
- 4 of 10
- 1 is healthiest
- community conditions group among U.S. counties
- 4 of 10
- 1 is best
- of children in poverty
- 12.9%
- Ohio 17.5%
- uninsured
- 6.5%
- Ohio 7.1%
No community water system in the county had a health-based drinking water violation in the rankings' reporting year.
| Measure | Defiance County | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth (years) | 76.2 | 75.2 |
| Years of potential life lost before 75, per 100,000 (premature death) | 8,496.1 | 9,740 |
| Adults in fair or poor health | 18.2% | 17.9% |
| Uninsured | 6.5% | 7.1% |
| Children in poverty | 12.9% | 17.5% |
| Median household income | $72,241 | $67,873 |
| Income inequality (80th to 20th percentile household income ratio) | 3.7 | 4.6 |
| Households with severe housing problems | 9.3% | 12.7% |
| People per primary care physician | 1,816 | 1,328 |
| People per mental health provider | 435 | 286 |
| People per dentist | 2,546 | 1,535 |
| Preventable hospital stays per 100,000 Medicare enrollees | 3,436 | 3,033 |
| Medicare enrollees with a flu vaccination | 49% | 51% |
| Injury deaths per 100,000 | 87.2 | 100.7 |
| Suicides per 100,000 | 13.4 | 14.7 |
| Child deaths per 100,000 (under 18) | 41.6 | 59.2 |
| Infant deaths per 1,000 live births | 7.5 | 7.0 |
| Teen births per 1,000 females 15 to 19 | 17.4 | 17.4 |
| Average daily fine-particle pollution (PM2.5, µg/m³) | 7.8 | 7.8 |
| Any drinking water violation in the county | No | |
| Population used by the rankings | 38,315 | |
| Population health group (1 to 10 among U.S. counties; 1 is healthiest) | 4 | |
| Community conditions group (1 to 10 among U.S. counties; 1 is best) | 4 |
Source: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps 2025 (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute) · County Health Rankings · About this topic
Cancer
New cancers and cancer deaths per 100,000 people, age-adjusted, from the National Cancer Institute's State Cancer Profiles.
- new cancers a year per 100,000 people, age-adjusted, 2018 to 2022
- 478.7
- 95% confidence interval 451.7 to 507.1 · Ohio 472.9 · U.S. 448.6
- cases a year
- 252
- incidence trend
- stable
- cancer deaths a year per 100,000, age-adjusted, 2019 to 2023
- 165.3
- Ohio 160.3 · U.S. 145.4
- cancer deaths a year
- 91
- death-rate trend
- falling
- -0.9% a year
| Site | Per 100,000 | Ohio | Cases a year | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lung | 73.5 | 63.6 | 41 | stable |
| Colorectal | 43.4 | 38.4 | 23 | stable |
| Female breast | 104.1 | 133.0 | 28 | stable |
| Prostate | 133.9 | 120.8 | 37 | stable |
| Leukemia | 17.7 | 13.0 | 9 | rising |
| Bladder | 25.1 | 21.8 | 14 | stable |
Source: NCI State Cancer Profiles, county incidence 2018-2022 and mortality 2019-2023 · NCI cancer profiles · About this topic
Drug overdoses
Provisional overdose death counts by county from the CDC, 12 months at a time.
- overdose deaths in the 12 months ending September 2023
- 10
- CDC provisional count
- deaths per 100,000 residents
- 26.1
- Ohio 20.8 in the 12 months ending December 2025
- highest 12-month total since 2020
- 17
- 12 months ending August 2021
The county count has been suppressed (1 to 9 deaths) in every month after September 2023.
Source: CDC NCHS provisional county drug overdose deaths, 12-month-ending counts; CDC VSRR for the Ohio row · CDC overdose data · About this topic
Medicare
Who in the county is on Medicare and how they are covered, from CMS enrollment counts.
- people on Medicare, 2025
- 9,578
- 25% of residents
- aged 65 or over
- 8,316
- younger people with disabilities
- 1,262
- chose a Medicare Advantage plan
- 50.3%
- also on Medicaid
- 13.3%
- with Part D drug coverage
- 86.4%
- enrollment since 2020
- +7.2%
- 8,935 enrollees then
Source: CMS Medicare Monthly Enrollment by county, 2025 · CMS Medicare Monthly Enrollment · About this topic
Severe weather
Hail, wind, flooding and tornado reports logged for the county in NOAA's Storm Events database.
- severe weather reports, 2016 to 2026
- 60
- NOAA Storm Events log
- in reported damage
- $112,500
- largest hail
- 1.50 in
- May 28, 2017
- strongest measured gust
- 73 mph
- August 11, 2021
The costliest event was tornadoes on July 29, 2023, $55,000 in damage. A ground and drone servey revelaed a tornado touched down at a property west of Casebeer Miller Road and north of Buckskin Raod, and tracked quickly to the nort…
| Kind | Reports |
|---|---|
| damaging thunderstorm wind | 34 |
| hail | 19 |
| tornadoes | 5 |
| flash floods | 1 |
| Kind | Reports |
|---|---|
| winter weather | 22 |
| high wind | 6 |
| winter storms | 6 |
Source: NOAA Storm Events database, 2016-2026 · NOAA storm events · About this topic
Weather warnings
Every warning, watch and advisory the National Weather Service has issued for the county since 2015.
- tornado warnings since 2015
- 11
- severe thunderstorm warnings
- 135
- flash flood warnings
- 5
- winter storm or blizzard warnings
- 9
- warnings, watches and advisories in all
- 880
| Product | Count |
|---|---|
| Tornado Warning | 11 |
| Tornado Watch | 13 |
| Severe Thunderstorm Warning | 135 |
| Flash Flood Warning | 5 |
| Flood Warning | 152 |
| Areal Flood Warning | 14 |
| Areal Flood Advisory | 35 |
| Winter Storm Warning | 9 |
| Winter Weather Advisory | 62 |
| Excessive Heat Warning | 8 |
| Heat Advisory | 36 |
| Wind Chill Warning | 3 |
| Year | Warnings |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
Source: National Weather Service warnings/watches/advisories, Iowa Environmental Mesonet VTEC archive, since 2015 · IEM warning archive · About this topic
Drought
How often the U.S. Drought Monitor has put the county in drought since 2000.
- weeks in moderate drought or worse since 2020
- 73
- of them severe or worse
- 35
- most recently 10 weeks in 2026
- weeks at least abnormally dry since 2020
- 149
- of all weeks since 2000 in drought
- 11%
The worst reading since 2000 was extreme drought in December 2025.
As of September 1, 2026: no drought.
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor weekly county statistics, 2000-2026 · U.S. Drought Monitor · About this topic
The long-run climate
Average temperature and precipitation over the whole county since 1895, from NOAA's county climate series; only complete years count.
- average year, 1996 to 2025
- 50.9 °F
- 48.6 °F in 1901 to 1930 · 49.2 °F in 1951 to 1980
- change since 1901 to 1930
- +2.2 °F
- warmest year since 1895
- 2012
- 53.8 °F
- precipitation in the average year, 1996 to 2025
- 36.9 in
- 33.8 in 1901 to 1930 (+9.1%)
- wettest year since 1895
- 2011
- 52.1 inches
- average temperature, 2025
- 50.8 °F
- 30.9 inches of precipitation
Source: NOAA nClimDiv county monthly temperature and precipitation, 1895-2026 (climdiv-tmpccy / climdiv-pcpncy) · NOAA climate at a glance · About this topic
Hazard mitigation
FEMA-funded projects in the county that reduce future flood, storm and other losses: buyouts, plans, studies and equipment.
- hazard mitigation projects since 2006
- 10
- FEMA grants, program years 2006 to 2020
- total project worth
- $5 million
- $3 million federal
- properties covered
- 46
Largest: Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine for Defiance, $2 million (fiscal 2011).
| Project type | Projects |
|---|---|
| Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine | 7 |
| Local Multijurisdictional Multihazard Mitigation Plan - UPDATE | 1 |
| FMA or CRS Plan | 1 |
Source: OpenFEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance projects, v4 API · OpenFEMA · About this topic
Air toxics
The EPA's modeled lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics across the county.
- lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics
- 20 in a million
- EPA AirToxScreen 2020
Mostly formaldehyde (16.1 in a million) and carbon tetrachloride (3 in a million).
Source: EPA AirToxScreen 2020 · EPA AirToxScreen · About this topic
Water use
The 2015 figures are the U.S. Geological Survey's last county estimate, made a different way; the two are not a trend.
- million gallons of fresh water withdrawn a day, 2015 (USGS estimate)
- 10.1
- people served by public water systems, 2015
- 24,700
- 34 gallons a person a day used at home
- people supplying their own water at home, 2015
- 13,700
| Use | Million gallons a day |
|---|---|
| All uses | 10.1 |
| Public water systems | 3.4 |
| Power plants (thermoelectric) | 0.0 |
| Industry (own supply) | 0.0 |
| Irrigation | 0.1 |
| Mining | 5.3 |
| Livestock | 0.2 |
| Fish farms (aquaculture) | 0.0 |
Source: USGS 2015 county water-use census (Dieter and others 2018) · ODNR Water Withdrawal Atlas (archived copy) · USGS county water use 2015 · About this topic
Fluoridated water
The share of county residents on community water whose water is fluoridated, from the Ohio Department of Health.
- of residents on community water receive fluoridated water
- 100%
Source: Ohio Department of Health county fluoridation profiles (DataOhio) · ODH fluoridation report (DataOhio) · EPA SDWIS search · About this topic
Firefighting foam (PFAS)
PFAS-based aqueous film-forming foam registered in the county with Ohio EPA, which is collecting it for disposal so it is never sprayed again.
- fire departments or other holders registered
- 1
- of PFAS-based AFFF foam registered with Ohio EPA
- 15 gal
- in sealed containers
- 0 gal
- in opened containers
- 15 gal
Source: Ohio EPA AFFF firefighting-foam inventory · Ohio EPA PFAS · About this topic
Road salt grants
H2Ohio pays for brine makers, calibrated spreaders and covered salt barns so less chloride reaches streams and wells.
- H2Ohio chloride-reduction grant awarded in the county
- 1
Source: Ohio EPA H2Ohio chloride reduction grants · Ohio EPA chloride reduction grants · About this topic
Farms
The county's farms in the 2022 Census of Agriculture. A dash means NASS published no figure: withheld to protect individual farms, or none reported.
- farms, 2022
- 907
- 228 acres to a farm on average
- acres in farms
- 206,426
- 185,250 acres of cropland
- of the county's land is cropland
- 69.8%
- farm products sold, 2022
- $237 million
- 44% from livestock, poultry and their products
| Crop or animal | Acres or head |
|---|---|
| Corn for grain (acres harvested) | 52,277 |
| Soybeans (acres harvested) | 107,893 |
| Irrigated land (acres) | 1,026 |
| Cattle and calves | 8,125 |
| Hogs and pigs | 2,493 |
| Egg-laying chickens | — |
| Broilers and other meat chickens | 895 |
| Turkeys | 10 |
Source: USDA NASS 2022 Census of Agriculture county totals (Quick Stats bulk file) · USDA Census of Agriculture · NASS 2022 county profile · About this topic
Farm pesticides
Pesticides applied on the county's farms in 2018 as estimated by the U.S. Geological Survey, in kilograms of active ingredient.
- of pesticide active ingredient used on farms, 2018
- 179,841 kg
- USGS estimate (preliminary, high estimate)
- per square mile of land
- 433.9 kg
- 27th of Ohio's 88 counties, most per square mile first
- atrazine
- 25,752 kg
- glyphosate
- 75,977 kg
- compounds with an estimate
- 148
| Compound | Kilograms |
|---|---|
| glyphosate | 75,977 |
| atrazine | 25,752 |
| metolachlor | 16,887 |
| 2,4-D | 13,098 |
| acetochlor | 11,230 |
Source: USGS preliminary county agricultural pesticide-use estimates, 2018 (high estimate) · USGS county pesticide-use estimates, 2018 · About this topic
Rail accidents
Accidents railroads reported to the Federal Railroad Administration in the county since 2010. Yard mishaps at walking speed dominate; main-line derailments are the rare, dangerous ones.
- rail equipment accidents since 2010
- 7
- FRA Form 54
- derailments
- 2
Source: FRA Form 54 rail equipment accident reports, county fallback for railAccidentLine() · FRA rail equipment accidents (Form 54) · About this topic
House records
Where the house-by-house records on this county's ZIP pages come from, and how current they are.
- parcel records placed on the map
- 15,353
- snapshot of September 17, 2026
Defiance County Auditor, public ArcGIS CAMA-joined parcel layers (partial: no beds, baths, rooms, stories, style, exterior, basement, heat, AC, fireplaces, garage or pool).
Office: Defiance County Auditor (Jill R. Little), 500 Second Street Suite 301, Defiance OH 43512, through the county's own ArcGIS Online organisation services1.arcgis.com/nOy1DpPkzXSFJsGp (the org behind the Auditor site's own map viewer, defianceco.maps.arcgis.com app f2bac49603494087898042c8c278e83c).
These are full appraisal records: every house's year built, value and sales history opens from its ZIP page.
Source: Defiance County Auditor, public ArcGIS CAMA-joined parcel layers (partial: no beds, baths, rooms, stories, style, exterior, basement, heat, AC, fireplaces, garage or pool), snapshot 2026-09-17 · Defiance County Auditor (Jill R. Little) · About this topic
What stands out
Where this county sits among Ohio's 88 on the measures the atlas tracks, and the sentences the inference engine built from them. Rankings and associations only: nothing here says one measure causes another, and a county-level pattern is not a fact about anyone who lives here.
- measures flagged for this county
- 2
- of the 85 counties with anything flagged
- 71st worst
- economy
- losing ground on Ohio
- 2
- the gap to the state is widening
- peer group the engine compares it against
- small metro and micropolitan
"Losing ground on Ohio" compares trends, not levels: a county can be losing ground while its own number improves, if the rest of the state improved faster over the same years.
Defiance County has Ohio's highest share Hispanic or Latino (any race): 11.1% (2024). Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Across Ohio, share age 65 and over and share of adults with a cancer diagnosis move together. Defiance County is an exception: its share of adults with a cancer diagnosis is 9.4% (2025), far lower than the statewide pattern predicts from its share age 65 and over of 20.2% (2024). Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; CDC.
Defiance County has Ohio's highest average weekly wage in utilities: $3,407 (2024). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Across Ohio, share age 65 and over and share of adults with high blood pressure taking medicine for it move together. Defiance County is an exception: its share of adults with high blood pressure taking medicine for it is 79.6% (2025), far lower than the statewide pattern predicts from its share age 65 and over of 20.2% (2024). Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; CDC.
Defiance County's home-purchase mortgage denial rate rose from 8.7% in 2018 to 13.2% in 2023, a change of +52%, the 1st steepest rise among the 88 Ohio counties with the data. Source: FFIEC/CFPB.
Defiance County's average weekly wage in utilities is $3,407 (2024), well above what Ohio counties of similar size, ruralness, region and income report; it ranks 1st of 85. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Defiance County's share Hispanic or Latino (any race) is 11.1% (2024), well above what Ohio counties of similar size, ruralness, region and income report; it ranks 1st of 88. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Defiance County's population peaked at 39,987 in 1980; it was 38,644 in 2024, 3% below that peak. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
| Measure | Latest | Ohio median | Rank, worst first | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total personal income per resident | $51,182 (2024) | $55,326 | 20th of 88 | $51,182 from $37,246 since 2015 · losing ground on Ohio |
| Home-purchase mortgage denial rate | 13.2% (2023) | 12.0% | 35th of 88 | 13.2% from 8.7% since 2018 · losing ground on Ohio |
Source: Cracked Buckeye inference engine (scripts/inference) over the county-year panel, run 2026-09-21 · What moves with what across Ohio
Places
The 16 cities, villages and townships whose residents live mostly in Defiance County, with the population of each.
Cities 1
Villages 3
ZIP codes
The 8 ZIP codes whose residents live mostly in Defiance County, largest first. Each links to its own page; the water system column links to the utility serving most of its residents.
| ZIP | Name | Residents | Water system | Radon | Home value | School district | Flood |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43512 | Defiance | 28,208 | Defiance City 60% Inland rivers |
3.6 pCi/L average radon | Median home $158,800 | Defiance City 4 stars overall | 4.2% of residents in the 1% floodplain |
| 43526 | Hicksville | 5,995 | Hicksville Village 58% Groundwater (wells) |
2.5 pCi/L average radon | Median home $168,400 | Hicksville Exempted Village 5 stars overall | 0.0% of residents in the 1% floodplain |
| 43556 | Sherwood | 1,762 | Sherwood Village 43% Mostly private wells |
3.1 pCi/L average radon | Median home $195,900 | Central Local 4.5 stars overall | 6.1% of residents in the 1% floodplain |
| 43549 | Washington Township and Ney | 1,359 | Ney Village 22% Mostly private wells |
Too few radon tests | Median home $180,300 | Central Local 4.5 stars overall | 14% of residents in the 1% floodplain |
| 43536 | Mark Township and Mark Center | 383 | no mapped system | Too few radon tests | Median home $133,200 | Central Local 4.5 stars overall | 1.0% of residents in the 1% floodplain |
| 43519 | Tiffin Township and Evansport | 143 | no mapped system | Too few radon tests | Median home $114,700 | Northeastern Local 4 stars overall | 9.1% of residents in the 1% floodplain |
| 43520 | Farmer Township and Farmer | 77 | no mapped system | Too few radon tests | No Census data | Central Local 4.5 stars overall | 0.0% of residents in the 1% floodplain |
| 43530 | Richland Township and Jewell | 15 | no mapped system | Too few radon tests | No Census data | Northeastern Local 4 stars overall | 0.0% of residents in the 1% floodplain |
Source: residents: 2020 Census (POP100, ZCTA) · water systems: EPA SDWIS + service-area-boundary join · radon: Ohio Department of Health radon test results by ZIP since 2010 · home value: Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year by ZCTA (housing/commute tables) · school districts: Ohio school district boundaries (OGRIP via ODOT) · flood: FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer.
On the map
Open the map fitted to Defiance County. Every ZIP code in the table above links to its page, and each page opens the map at that ZIP.
Historic places: 8 National Register listings in Defiance County. See every one on the map, each with its record and its National Park Service file.
Rankings within the county
The county's ZIP codes ranked by what the map measures; each heading links to the topic's page.
Local government
Who holds office in Defiance County, how its elections and ballot issues came out, and the state auditor's record.
Turnout
| Election | Registered | Ballots cast | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-11-03 general | 26,411 | 19,613 | 74.3% |
| 2020-03-17 primary | 25,630 | 7,184 | 28.0% |
| 2019-11-05 general | 25,264 | 6,159 | 24.4% |
| 2019-05-07 primary | 3,246 | 847 | 26.1% |
| 2015-11-03 general | 24,448 | 12,597 | 51.5% |
Who holds office
| Office | Name | Party | Term ends | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auditor | Jill R. Little | 419-782-5311 500 Second Street, Suite 301, Defiance, OH 43512 | ||
| Clerk of Courts | Dan O. Crites | 419-782-1936 · clerkofcourts@defiancecounty.oh.gov 221 Clinton Street, Defiance, OH 43512 | ||
| County Commissioner | Dana Phipps | 419-782-4761 · commissioners@defiancecounty.oh.gov 25600 Elliott Rd., Defiance, OH 43512 | ||
| County Commissioner | Mick Pocratsky | 419-782-4761 · commissioners@defiancecounty.oh.gov 25600 Elliott Rd., Defiance, OH 43512 | ||
| County Commissioner | Matthew Koester | 419-782-4761 · commissioners@defiancecounty.oh.gov 25600 Elliott Rd., Defiance, OH 43512 | ||
| Coroner | John J. Racciato, M.D. | 419-783-4860 · coroner@defiancecounty.oh.gov 500 Court Street, Suite A, Defiance, OH 43512 | ||
| Engineer | Warren Schlatter | 419-782-4751 · wschlatter@defiancecounty.oh.gov 510 Court Street, Suite 201, Defiance, OH 43512 | ||
| Prosecuting Attorney | Morris J. Murray | 419-782-2402 500 Court Street, Suite C, Defiance, OH 43512 | ||
| Recorder | Cecilia A. Parsons | 419-782-4741 · recorder@defiancecounty.oh.gov 500 Second Street, Suite 201, Defiance, OH 43512 | ||
| Sheriff | Douglas J. Engel | 419-784-1155 · dcsowebsite@defiancecounty.oh.gov 113 Biede Ave. Defiance, OH 43512 | ||
| Treasurer | Vickie S. Myers | 419-782-8741 · treasurer@defiancecounty.oh.gov 500 W Second St, Suite 101, Defiance, OH 43512 |
Roster as of 2026-09-18: county board of elections.
Money issues on the ballot since 2015: 2 of 2 passed.
Ballot issues
| Date | Issue | For | Against | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-11-03 | Issue: Local Liquor Option - Iron Horse Brews | 285 | 74 | Passed (79.39% for) |
| 2020-11-03 | Issue: Defiance County Senior Services Levy | 14,073 | 4,603 | Passed (75.35% for) |
| 2020-03-17 | Issue: Liquor Option (Casa Grande) | 98 | 42 | Passed (70.0% for) |
| 2015-11-03 | Issue: Defiance County Senior Services Levy | 7,777 | 4,349 | Passed (64.13% for) |
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-11-08 | County Commissioner | Dana Phipps (REP) 10,985, 100.0% |
| 2022-11-08 | County Auditor | Jill R. Little (REP) 11,063, 100.0% |
| 2022-05-03 | Member of County Central Committee (REP primary) | Christopher J. Mack 77, 100.0% |
| 2022-05-03 | Member of County Central Committee (REP primary) | Mike McCann 113, 100.0% |
| 2022-05-03 | Member of County Central Committee (REP primary) | Steven J. Sondergaard 83, 100.0% |
| 2022-05-03 | Member of County Central Committee (REP primary) | Tom Weaner 230, 100.0% |
| 2022-05-03 | Member of County Central Committee (REP primary) | Jerry I Latta 89, 100.0% |
| 2022-05-03 | Member of County Central Committee (REP primary) | Douglas J. Engel 149, 100.0% |
| 2022-05-03 | Member of County Central Committee (REP primary) | Michael E. Coplin 194, 100.0% |
| 2022-05-03 | Member of County Central Committee (REP primary) | Robert D. Pelton 111, 100.0% |
| 2022-05-03 | Member of County Central Committee (REP primary) | Jill R. Littte 92, 100.0% |
| 2022-05-03 | Member of County Central Committee (REP primary) | Ted W. Penner 149, 100.0% |
| 2022-05-03 | Member of County Central Committee (REP primary) | David S. Kern 124, 100.0% |
| 2022-05-03 | Member of County Central Committee (REP primary) | lan A. Weber 158, 100.0% |
| 2022-05-03 | Member of County Central Committee (REP primary) | Dan Crites 186, 100.0% |
| 2022-05-03 | County Commissioner (REP primary) | Dana Phipps 4,118, 100.0% |
| 2020-11-03 | Sheriff | Douglas J. Engel (REP) 15,908, 100.0% |
| 2020-11-03 | Prosecuting Attorney | Morris J. Murray (REP) 15,575, 100.0% |
| 2020-11-03 | County Treasurer | Vickie S. Myers (REP) 15,811, 100.0% |
| 2020-11-03 | County Recorder | Cecilia A. Parsons (REP) 15,705, 100.0% |
| 2020-11-03 | County Engineer | Warren Schlatter (REP) 15,573, 100.0% |
| 2020-11-03 | County Commissioner | John R. Hancock (DEM) 6,743, 35.88%; Mick Pocratsky (REP) 12,048, 64.12% |
| 2020-11-03 | County Commissioner | David Kern (REP) 12,175, 64.44%; Diane Mayer (DEM) 6,718, 35.56% |
| 2020-11-03 | Clerk of Courts | Amy M. Galbraith (REP) 15,803, 100.0% |
| 2020-03-17 | Treasurer (REP primary) | Vickie S. Myers 4,096, 100.0% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Auditor of State record
- No fiscal caution, watch or emergency on the Auditor of State's lists.
- Financial Health Indicators (the Auditor of State's 17 measures; critical / cautionary / positive): 2020 0 / 0 / 17; 2021 0 / 0 / 17; 2022 0 / 2 / 15; 2023 0 / 1 / 16; 2024 0 / 1 / 16; 2025 0 / 1 / 15.
- 7 unresolved findings for recovery on the Auditor of State's list.
- Financial Audit, 2024, released 2025-08-21
- Financial Audit, 2023, released 2024-09-03
Townships and villages without a page of their own
Farmer Township
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-07 | Township Trustee | Samuel F. Speiser 322, 100.0% |
| 2023-11-07 | Township Fiscal Officer | Jennifer Mavis 314, 100.0% |
| 2019-11-05 | Township Trustee | Chris Kimpel 124, 49.21%; Sam Speiser 128, 50.79% |
| 2015-11-03 | Township Trustee | Dan Vermillion 190, 100.0% |
| 2015-11-03 | Township Trustee | Aaron Mavis 129, 42.3%; Jeff Panico 176, 57.7% |
| 2015-11-03 | Township Fiscal Officer | Jennifer Mavis 247, 100.0% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Auditor of State record
- No fiscal caution, watch or emergency on the Auditor of State's lists.
- Agreed Upon Procedures, 2023 to 2024, released 2025-07-10
Village of Clerk
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-11-05 | Treasurer Ney | Kreg A Culler 63, 100.0% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Village of Ward 1
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-11-05 | Member of Council | Steve Corbitt 639, 100.0% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Village of Ward 2
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-11-05 | Member of Council | John R Hancock 256, 56.02%; Angie Miller 201, 43.98% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Village of Ward 3
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-11-05 | Member of Council | Josh Mast 382, 65.52%; Lisa Wiesenauer 201, 34.48% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Village of Ward 4
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-11-05 | Member of Council | Christopher L Engel 351, 100.0% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
School districts
A L School District
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-11-05 | Member of Board of Education | David S Kern 640, 51.16%; Shelby Martinez 541, 43.25%; Write-In: Daniel P. Frederick 70, 5.6% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Ayersville Local School District: 0 of 2 money issues passed since 2019
Money issues on the ballot since 2019: 0 of 2 passed.
Ballot issues
| Date | Issue | For | Against | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-17 | Issue: Ayersville Local Income Tax | 569 | 818 | Failed (41.02% for) |
| 2019-11-05 | Issue: PROPOSED INCOME TAX Ayersville Local School District | 265 | 716 | Failed (27.01% for) |
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-07 | Member of Board of Education | Joe Ewers 753, 23.08%; Dan Frederick 832, 25.5%; Adam Fritz 966, 29.6%; Greg Schubert 712, 21.82% |
| 2021-11-02 | Member of Board of Education | Kyle S. Brown 665, 60.29%; Erica McGuire 438, 39.71% |
| 2015-11-03 | School Board of Education Total | Lanetha Lambert 1,001, 100.0% |
| 2015-11-03 | School Board of Education (number of seats not on file, so winners are not marked) | Rick A. Baldwin 1,043, 27.87%; Mark A. Diller 489, 13.07%; Daniel Frederick 563, 15.05%; David Kern 668, 17.85%; Jessica Meade Myers 979, 26.16% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Auditor of State record
- No fiscal caution, watch or emergency on the Auditor of State's lists.
- Financial Audit, 2024 to 2025, released 2026-04-14
- Financial Audit, 2023 to 2024, released 2025-04-15
C L School District
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-11-05 | Member of Board of Education | Scott R Schindler 1,039, 66.31%; Write-In: Ben Guisinger 430, 27.44%; Write-In: Owen Brigner 98, 6.25% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Central Local School District
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-07 | Member of Board of Education | Richard Cuffle (WI) 25, 14.45%; Ross Joost (Wl) 148, 85.55% |
| 2015-11-03 | School Board of Education (number of seats not on file, so winners are not marked) | Jennifer Johns 1,077, 34.99%; Scott R. Schindler 1,013, 32.91%; James T. Singer 988, 32.1% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Auditor of State record
- No fiscal caution, watch or emergency on the Auditor of State's lists.
- Financial Audit, 2024 to 2025, released 2026-03-24
- STRS Examination, 2024 to 2025, released 2025-10-09
- SERS Examination, 2024 to 2025, released 2025-10-09
- Financial Audit, 2023 to 2024, released 2025-03-25
Def School District
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-11-05 | Member of Board of Education | Wesley C Moats 1,550, 34.41%; Christine M Oberlin 1,548, 34.37%; Garry Rodenberger 1,406, 31.22% |
| 2019-11-05 | Member of Board of Education | Dodi Thompson 953, 44.89%; Michael Wahl 1,170, 55.11% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Defiance City School District
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-07 | Member of Board of Education | Wesley C. Moats 2,906, 47.91%; Christine M. Oberin 3,118, 51.4%; Charles A Bakle (Wl) 42, 0.69% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Auditor of State record
- No fiscal caution, watch or emergency on the Auditor of State's lists.
- Financial Audit, 2024 to 2025, released 2026-05-12
- Financial Audit, 2023 to 2024, released 2025-02-11
E L School District
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-11-05 | Member of Board of Education | Bob Siebenaler 34, 34.0%; Lyn Bowsher 46, 46.0%; Darwin Krill 20, 20.0% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Edgerton Local School District
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-07 | Member of Board of Education | Lyn M. Bowsher 102, 51.0%; Bob Siebenaler 98, 49.0% |
| 2021-11-02 | Member of Board of Education | Amanda J. Giesige 37, 29.84%; Christina K. Herman 35, 28.23%; Nick Hug 26, 20.97%; Colette Schroeder 26, 20.97% |
| 2015-11-03 | School Board of Education | Darwin Krill 77, 51.68%; Bob Siebenaler 72, 48.32% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
H V School District
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-11-05 | Member of Board of Education | Jennifer Caryer 462, 48.02%; Minda Jones 500, 51.98% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Hicksville Exempted Village School District
Ballot issues
| Date | Issue | For | Against | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-05-07 | Issue: Hicksville Exempted Village Schools | 473 | 361 | Passed (56.71% for) |
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-11-02 | Member of Board of Education | Stephanie Karacson-Mazur 513, 39.07%; Galen R. Methvin 442, 33.66%; Eric Vetter (W) 252, 19.19%; Gabriel Oberlin (W) 106, 8.07% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Auditor of State record
- No fiscal caution, watch or emergency on the Auditor of State's lists.
- Financial Audit, 2024 to 2025, released 2026-02-17
- Financial Audit, 2023 to 2024, released 2025-01-23
Nel School District
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-11-05 | Member of Board of Education | Shaun Mack 626, 54.77%; Jennifer A Schweitzer-Ahmed 517, 45.23% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Northeastern Local School District
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2015-11-03 | School Board of Education Total | Laura M. Flory 1,490, 53.97%; Ken Keller 1,271, 46.03% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Auditor of State record
- No fiscal caution, watch or emergency on the Auditor of State's lists.
- Financial Audit, 2024 to 2025, released 2026-02-24
- Financial Audit, 2023 to 2024, released 2025-03-06
Courts, districts and other bodies
Ayersville Local School Renewal: 1 of 1 money issues passed since 2015
Money issues on the ballot since 2015: 1 of 1 passed.
Ballot issues
| Date | Issue | For | Against | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-11-03 | Issue: Ayersville Local School Renewal Levy | 791 | 742 | Passed (51.6% for) |
Defiance County
Who holds office
| Office | Name | Party | Term ends | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Pleas Judge | Joseph N. Schmenk | 419-782-5931 221 Clinton Street, Third Floor, Defiance, OH 43512 | ||
| Probate & Juvenile Judge | Jeffrey A. Strausbaugh | 419-782-4181 · probatecourt@defiancecounty.oh.gov 221 Clinton Street, Second Floor, Defiance, OH 43512 |
Roster as of 2026-09-18: county board of elections.
Defiance County Court of Common Pleas
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2020-11-03 | Judge, Probate/Juvenile Division | Jeffrey A. Strausbaugh 15,274, 100.0% |
| 2020-11-03 | Judge, General Division | Joseph N. Schmenk 14,111, 100.0% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Third District Court of Appeals
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-11-08 | Judge of the Court of Appeals (this county's part) | William R. Zimmerman (REP) 10,676, 100.0% |
| 2022-11-08 | Judge of the Court of Appeals (this county's part) | Juergen A, Waldick (REP) 10,480, 100.0% |
| 2022-05-03 | Judge of the Court of Appeals (REP primary) (this county's part) | Wiliam R, Zimmerman 3,930, 100.0% |
| 2022-05-03 | Judge of the Court of Appeals (REP primary) (this county's part) | Juergen A. Waldick 3,575, 100.0% |
| 2020-11-03 | Judge (this county's part) | Mark C. Miller 13,330, 100.0% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
How Defiance County began
Defiance County was organized March 4, 1845 (effective April 7) from parts of Williams, Henry and Paulding counties, after Defiance townsman William C. Holgate led a petition drive against local opposition; its seat, the town of Defiance, was already built on ground with a much older history. That ground -- the confluence of the Maumee and Auglaize rivers -- was the Glaize, a Native settlement of roughly two thousand Shawnee, Delaware and Miami people that hosted one of the largest Indian councils of the pre-removal era in 1792 before General Anthony Wayne's army destroyed it in August 1794 and built Fort Defiance on its ashes. The Treaty of Greenville the next year reserved only a small enclave around the fort; the rest of the county's land stayed Native country until the 1817 Treaty of Fort Meigs opened it to settlement, and Ottawa residents continued to gather in the county's western townships into the 1840s. The town of Defiance, laid out in 1822 and incorporated as a city in 1881, grew up around the fort site and the Miami and Erie Canal's turn south toward Cincinnati; Johnny Appleseed ran a nursery a mile above town from about 1828, and a persistent, unverified tradition holds the Ottawa leader Pontiac was born at the same river junction, now marked by Pontiac Park.
Defiance, the town built on and around the site of Fort Defiance at the Maumee-Auglaize confluence, was named the permanent county seat in the same 1845 act that created the county: "The seat of justice within and for said county of Defiance shall be and is hereby fixed and permanently established at the town of Defiance." It has remained the seat ever since, and no other town has served in that role.
Researched 2026-09-25 · en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org. The full history, with photographs, is on the pages of the county's places.
Local legend
Ohio folklore · told around Defiance, Defiance County
The Defiance Werewolf
In summer 1972, Defiance police warned of a night prowler near the railroad tracks, “very tall with some kind of animal head.” A rail worker said it struck him with a board. Nobody was ever caught.
Source: The Crescent-News, “Anniversary of wolfman sightings in Defiance” · Defiance County
Follow on Facebook · Subscribe on YouTube for the whole cast this week.
Politics
How Defiance County has voted for president since 1852, turnout since 1996, and what is on its 2026 ballot.
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| Year | Winner | Party | Margin | Matched Ohio's winner | Matched the nation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1852 | Franklin Pierce | D | 23.1 points | matched | matched |
| 1856 | James Buchanan | D | 4.2 points | missed | matched |
| 1860 | Stephen A. Douglas | D | 11.2 points | missed | missed |
| 1864 | George B. McClellan | D | 15.7 points | missed | missed |
| 1868 | Horatio Seymour | D | 26.3 points | missed | missed |
| 1872 | Horace Greeley | LR | 22.0 points | missed | missed |
| 1876 | Samuel J. Tilden | D | 31.0 points | missed | missed |
| 1880 | Winfield Scott Hancock | D | 22.6 points | missed | missed |
| 1884 | Grover Cleveland | D | 20.0 points | missed | matched |
| 1888 | Grover Cleveland | D | 21.9 points | missed | missed |
| 1892 | Grover Cleveland | D | 21.3 points | missed | matched |
| 1896 | William Jennings Bryan | D | 27.2 points | missed | missed |
| 1900 | William Jennings Bryan | D | 16.5 points | missed | missed |
| 1904 | Alton B. Parker | D | 2.9 points | missed | missed |
| 1908 | William Jennings Bryan | D | 18.9 points | missed | missed |
| 1912 | Woodrow Wilson | D | 24.1 points | matched | matched |
| 1916 | Woodrow Wilson | D | 13.1 points | matched | matched |
| 1920 | Warren G. Harding | R | 22.9 points | matched | matched |
| 1924 | Calvin Coolidge | R | 17.5 points | matched | matched |
| 1928 | Herbert Hoover | R | 28.7 points | matched | matched |
| 1932 | Franklin D. Roosevelt | D | 25.1 points | matched | matched |
| 1936 | Franklin D. Roosevelt | D | 5.2 points | matched | matched |
| 1940 | Wendell Willkie | R | 30.0 points | missed | missed |
| 1944 | Thomas E. Dewey | R | 34.4 points | matched | missed |
| 1948 | Thomas E. Dewey | R | 14.1 points | missed | missed |
| 1952 | Dwight D. Eisenhower | R | 36.0 points | matched | matched |
| 1956 | Dwight D. Eisenhower | R | 38.1 points | matched | matched |
| 1960 | Richard Nixon | R | 26.2 points | matched | missed |
| 1964 | Lyndon B. Johnson | D | 26.6 points | matched | matched |
| 1968 | Richard Nixon | R | 11.9 points | matched | matched |
| 1972 | Richard Nixon | R | 33.3 points | matched | matched |
| 1976 | Gerald Ford | R | 12.2 points | missed | missed |
| 1980 | Ronald Reagan | R | 27.2 points | matched | matched |
| 1984 | Ronald Reagan | R | 36.9 points | matched | matched |
| 1988 | George H.W. Bush | R | 27.2 points | matched | matched |
| 1992 | George H.W. Bush | R | 8.5 points | missed | missed |
| 1996 | Robert Dole | R | 7.1 points | missed | missed |
| 2000 | George W. Bush | R | 20.7 points | matched | matched |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | R | 23.9 points | matched | matched |
| 2008 | John McCain | R | 10.5 points | missed | missed |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | R | 13.4 points | missed | missed |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | R | 34.7 points | matched | matched |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | R | 36.4 points | matched | missed |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | R | 39.9 points | matched | matched |
Every presidential election in Defiance County, year by year: its record with Ohio and the nation, closest and widest results, biggest swings, and where it has ranked among the 88.
| Year | Registered | Ballots cast | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 23,804 | 16,286 | 68.42% |
| 2000 | 25,783 | 16,610 | 64.42% |
| 2004 | 25,849 | 18,853 | 72.94% |
| 2008 | 26,504 | 19,232 | 72.56% |
| 2012 | 25,791 | 18,461 | 71.58% |
| 2016 | 25,629 | 18,603 | 72.59% |
| 2020 | 26,411 | 19,613 | 74.26% |
| 2024 | 26,818 | 19,401 | 72.34% |
On the 2026 ballot in Defiance County:
- Attorney General of Ohio
- Auditor of State of Ohio
- Governor of Ohio
- Justice of the Supreme Court (Full term commencing 1-1-2027)
- Justice of the Supreme Court (Full term commencing 1-2-2027)
- Secretary of State of Ohio
- Treasurer of State of Ohio
- U.S. Senator from Ohio
- Ohio State Representative, District 81
- Ohio State Representative, District 82
- Ohio State Senator, District 1
- U.S. Representative, Ohio's 9th District
| Jurisdiction | Type | Question | Millage or amount | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hicksville Village | Tax Levy (Renewal) | Renews a 2-mill property tax levy for the fire protection & EMS of Hicksville Village for 5 years, beginning in 2026. | 2 mills | 5 years |
| Washington Township | Tax Levy (Renewal) | Renews a 1.5-mill property tax levy for the fire protection of Washington Township for 5 years, beginning in 2027. | 1.5 mills | 5 years |
| Central Local School District | Tax Levy (Renewal) | Renews a 2.57-mill property tax levy for the current expenses of Central Local School District for 5 years, beginning in 2027. | 2.57 mills | 5 years |
| Ayersville Local School District | Tax Levy (Renewal) | Renews a 1.3-mill property tax levy for the current expenses of Ayersville Local School District for 5 years, beginning in 2027. | 1.3 mills | 5 years |
| Defiance County | Miscellaneous | Miscellaneous, for Charter Amendment: Section 1.12. | — | — |
| Defiance County | Tax Levy (Renewal/Increase) | Renews and increases a 1.65-mill property tax levy for the current expenses of library of Defiance County for 35 years, beginning in 2026. | 1.65 mills | 35 years |
| Northeastern Local School District | Tax Levy (Renewal) | Renews a 9.9-mill property tax levy for the current expenses of Northeastern Local School District for 10 years, beginning in 2027. | 9.9 mills | 10 years |
What's on my ballot · Election 2026
Sources for the presidential results and turnout above
Data from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0:
- 1852: 1852 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1856: 1856 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1860: 1860 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1864: 1864 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1868: 1868 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1872: 1872 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1876: 1876 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1880: 1880 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1884: 1884 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1888: 1888 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1892: 1892 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1896: 1896 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1900: 1900 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1904: 1904 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1908: 1908 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1912: 1912 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1916: 1916 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1920: 1920 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1924: 1924 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1928: 1928 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1932: 1932 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1936: 1936 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1940: 1940 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1944: 1944 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1948: 1948 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1952: 1952 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1956: 1956 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1960: 1960 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1964: 1964 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1968: 1968 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1972: 1972 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1976: 1976 United States presidential election in Ohio
- 1980: 1980 United States presidential election in Ohio
- Ohio Secretary of State: oh_1984_general_president_county.xlsx -- Ohio Secretary of State Past Election Results portal
- MIT Election Data and Science Lab (MEDSL), Harvard Dataverse: County Presidential Election Returns 2000-2024 (V20)
All 44 presidential elections 1852-2024 present. Turnout 1996-2024 per the ruling's storage section (county-level turnout before 1996 is confirmed absent from the OH SOS portal per A/sources/CITATIONS.md; not this task's scope to invent from elsewhere).
Where Defiance County sits
Three measures this atlas holds, set against how all 88 counties voted for president. Defiance County is the marked dot on each.
This is a pattern across counties, not a fact about any voter.
Defiance County sits higher than 25 of the 88 counties measured on share white alone. White-alone share and the presidential vote
Defiance County sits higher than 36 of the 88 counties measured on share 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher. Bachelor's-degree share and the presidential vote
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| County | Adult smoking (County Health Rankings, 2024) | Presidential margin, 2024 (R minus D, points) |
|---|---|---|
| Adams | 24.8% | R+66.1 |
| Allen | 21.9% | R+44.5 |
| Ashland | 21.1% | R+50.4 |
| Ashtabula | 26.8% | R+28.6 |
| Athens | 21.0% | D+10.8 |
| Auglaize | 18.8% | R+65.1 |
| Belmont | 22.2% | R+47.6 |
| Brown | 24.3% | R+61.8 |
| Butler | 18.1% | R+26.5 |
| Carroll | 22.5% | R+55.2 |
| Champaign | 21.3% | R+51.2 |
| Clark | 21.9% | R+29.8 |
| Clermont | 19.7% | R+36.1 |
| Clinton | 21.9% | R+55.1 |
| Columbiana | 22.5% | R+49.4 |
| Coshocton | 25.1% | R+52.6 |
| Crawford | 23.1% | R+53.4 |
| Cuyahoga | 18.7% | D+31.7 |
| Darke | 21.6% | R+65.8 |
| Defiance | 19.4% | R+40.2 |
| Delaware | 11.1% | R+6.7 |
| Erie | 20.1% | R+14.3 |
| Fairfield | 18.1% | R+24.3 |
| Fayette | 24.4% | R+55.6 |
| Franklin | 17.0% | D+28.7 |
| Fulton | 19.3% | R+42.8 |
| Gallia | 23.1% | R+59.8 |
| Geauga | 16.4% | R+24.3 |
| Greene | 15.9% | R+20.0 |
| Guernsey | 23.9% | R+52.4 |
| Hamilton | 17.2% | D+15.0 |
| Hancock | 19.2% | R+38.9 |
| Hardin | 23.1% | R+55.2 |
| Harrison | 23.2% | R+55.7 |
| Henry | 19.8% | R+47.1 |
| Highland | 24.7% | R+63.7 |
| Hocking | 24.4% | R+44.6 |
| Holmes | 26.8% | R+69.7 |
| Huron | 21.6% | R+44.4 |
| Jackson | 24.6% | R+58.4 |
| Jefferson | 24.1% | R+44.4 |
| Knox | 20.5% | R+45.3 |
| Lake | 17.2% | R+14.5 |
| Lawrence | 24.1% | R+50.9 |
| Licking | 17.8% | R+30.3 |
| Logan | 21.1% | R+56.7 |
| Lorain | 19.4% | R+5.8 |
| Lucas | 19.7% | D+12.7 |
| Madison | 20.8% | R+44.1 |
| Mahoning | 21.4% | R+9.5 |
| Marion | 24.1% | R+41.7 |
| Medina | 16.1% | R+25.0 |
| Meigs | 27.4% | R+57.4 |
| Mercer | 18.9% | R+67.2 |
| Miami | 18.3% | R+45.5 |
| Monroe | 23.6% | R+60.3 |
| Montgomery | 18.7% | D+0.5 |
| Morgan | 26.4% | R+53.6 |
| Morrow | 21.5% | R+56.2 |
| Muskingum | 21.5% | R+44.3 |
| Noble | 24.5% | R+65.1 |
| Ottawa | 18.9% | R+25.3 |
| Paulding | 21.8% | R+56.8 |
| Perry | 24.5% | R+54.9 |
| Pickaway | 21.2% | R+49.0 |
| Pike | 27.2% | R+54.0 |
| Portage | 19.0% | R+15.7 |
| Preble | 20.6% | R+59.6 |
| Putnam | 17.3% | R+69.4 |
| Richland | 23.5% | R+42.7 |
| Ross | 23.1% | R+39.7 |
| Sandusky | 20.8% | R+31.1 |
| Scioto | 27.4% | R+48.2 |
| Seneca | 21.6% | R+37.9 |
| Shelby | 21.4% | R+65.3 |
| Stark | 21.3% | R+22.1 |
| Summit | 19.3% | D+7.0 |
| Trumbull | 22.6% | R+16.9 |
| Tuscarawas | 22.5% | R+43.6 |
| Union | 15.0% | R+29.9 |
| Van Wert | 21.0% | R+59.0 |
| Vinton | 27.7% | R+59.0 |
| Warren | 14.4% | R+31.8 |
| Washington | 23.2% | R+44.1 |
| Wayne | 20.9% | R+39.6 |
| Williams | 21.2% | R+48.7 |
| Wood | 16.6% | R+10.3 |
| Wyandot | 19.8% | R+51.6 |
Defiance County sits higher than 24 of the 88 counties measured on adult smoking (County Health Rankings). Adult smoking and the presidential vote
Rain and snow
How much has actually fallen on Defiance County, day by day, from 1893 to now. Daily totals, not averages.
- rain, last 30 days
- 1.64 in
- 2026-09-30 to 2026-10-29
- rain so far in 2026
- 32.4 in
- 2.0 in above normal for the date
- snow so far in 2026
- 16.2 in
- a normal year brings 26.1 in
- a normal year
- 35.6 in
- average of 30 years, 1991-2020
| Month | Rain (in) | Snow (in) | Days counted |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 1.63 | — | 29 |
| September 2026 | 4.40 | — | 30 |
| August 2026 | 5.49 | — | 31 |
| July 2026 | 1.67 | — | 31 |
| June 2026 | 3.01 | — | 30 |
| May 2026 | 2.56 | — | 31 |
| April 2026 | 8.46 | — | 30 |
| March 2026 | 3.52 | — | 31 |
| February 2026 | 0.64 | 3.5 | 28 |
| January 2026 | 1.00 | 12.7 | 31 |
| December 2025 | 1.57 | 6.4 | 31 |
| November 2025 | 1.66 | 7.3 | 30 |
| Wettest year | 2011 — 52.5 in |
|---|---|
| Driest year | 1941 — 21.6 in |
| Snowiest year | 2014 — 66.5 in |
| Wettest day on record | 18 September 1907 — 4.63 in |
| Heaviest snowfall in a day | 28 February 1900 — 12.01 in |
| Deepest snow on the ground | 12 January 1918 — 22.01 in |
89% of these days are measurements from a gauge inside Defiance County; the rest are estimated from the nearest gauges around it.
48,879 days of records, 1893-01-01 to 2026-10-29. Source: NOAA NCEI GHCN-Daily, 3,240 gauges in and around Ohio. A day is "gauged" when a gauge standing inside the boundary reported it, and the value is the mean of those gauges. Otherwise it is interpolated by inverse distance from every gauge reporting within 50 miles. Nothing is carried forward, back-filled or smoothed. Against NOAA nClimDiv county monthly precipitation over 136,848 complete county-months (checked 2026-10-31): correlation 0.9515, median absolute difference 0.217 in a month. Built 2026-10-31 from the Cracked Buckeye precipitation archive. Snow is the softer number — snowfall is measured by hand with a ruler, no agency publishes a gridded county snowfall series, and blowing snow defeats every observer.
Environmental permits and filings
What Ohio EPA has on file for Defiance County: permits, inspections, violations, cleanups and the state loans behind sewer and water work. Every line links to the agency's own document.
- facilities and sites on file
- 925
- everything Ohio EPA files under this county
- private households
- 129
- counted, not named: permits filed under a person's name
Data centers, power and big tech here. Ohio EPA files that name a data-center company, a power plant or substation, or a large technology firm:
- AYERSVILLE 69 KV SUBSTATION (wastewater and stormwater discharge, latest Apr 29, 2026)
- PLATTER CREEK SUBSTATION (wastewater and stormwater discharge, latest Sep 3, 2025)
- DYNEGY - RICHLAND SUBSTATION (sewer and water-line construction, latest Feb 6, 2001)
| Program | Facilities and sites |
|---|---|
| Sewer and water-line construction | 395 |
| Wastewater and stormwater discharge | 200 |
| Public drinking water | 67 |
| Hazardous waste | 55 |
| Air pollution | 51 |
| State sewer loans | 35 |
| Wetland and stream fill | 34 |
| Spills and emergencies | 23 |
| Voluntary cleanup | 11 |
| Brownfield | 9 |
| Landfills | 7 |
| State water loans | 7 |
| 14 smaller programs |
| Date | Facility or site | What |
|---|---|---|
| FQTMW WATER INTAKE STRUCTURE | Wetland and stream fill permit | |
| HICKSVILLE VILLAGE WATER PWS | Public drinking water compliance letter | |
| POWER DAM EXPRESS PWS | Public drinking water notice of violation | |
| HILLANDALE FARMS PWS | Public drinking water compliance letter | |
| HILLANDALE FARMS PWS | Public drinking water compliance letter | |
| GENERAL MOTORS LLC | Air pollution permit | |
| DEFIANCE COUNTY SANITARY LANDFILL | Wastewater and stormwater discharge violation resolved | |
| POWER DAM EXPRESS PWS | Public drinking water inspection | |
| BAKER-SHINDLER READY MIX YARD 1 DEFIANCE PLT | Air pollution report | |
| DEFIANCE WWTP | Wastewater and stormwater discharge report | |
| DEFIANCE COUNTY SANITARY LANDFILL | Landfills report | |
| DEFIANCE COUNTY SANITARY LANDFILL | Sewer and water-line construction permit | |
| HILLANDALE FARMS PWS | Public drinking water inspection | |
| INDEPENDENCE EDUCATION CENTER PWS | Public drinking water compliance letter | |
| HICKSVILLE VILLAGE WATER PWS | Public drinking water compliance letter | |
| FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH-DEFIANCE PWS | Public drinking water violation resolved | |
| DEFIANCE COUNTY SANITARY LANDFILL | Landfills report | |
| FQTMW WATER INTAKE STRUCTURE | Wetland and stream fill permit | |
| GENERAL MOTORS LLC - DEFIANCE | Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit | |
| DEFIANCE COUNTY SANITARY LANDFILL | Landfills inspection | |
| ANR PIPELINE CO - DEFIANCE | Wastewater and stormwater discharge director's orders | |
| GENERAL MOTORS LLC | Hazardous waste inspection | |
| MAUMEE VALLEY GROUP | Wastewater and stormwater discharge violation resolved | |
| FQTMW WATER INTAKE STRUCTURE | Wetland and stream fill permit | |
| SHERWOOD VILLAGE WATER PWS | Public drinking water violation resolved |
Source: Ohio EPA eDocument portal (edocpub.epa.ohio.gov), indexed 2026-10-14. Facilities are placed on the map from Ohio EPA's own map layers, EPA's Facility Registry, coordinates written in the filings, or a geocoded street address. A permit filed under a private person's name (most are household septic systems) is counted but never named, placed or linked; licenses for individual workers and open-burning notices are left out entirely.
Quick answers
What is the county seat of Defiance County, Ohio?
Defiance is the county seat of Defiance County, Ohio. Defiance, the town built on and around the site of Fort Defiance at the Maumee-Auglaize confluence, was named the permanent county seat in the same 1845 act that created the county: "The seat of justice within and for said county of Defiance shall be and is hereby fixed and permanently established at the town of Defiance." It has remained the seat ever since, and no other town has served in that role. Source
When was Defiance County, Ohio established?
Defiance County was established on April 7, 1845. Source
What is the population of Defiance County, Ohio?
Defiance County had 38,292 residents (July 2025 estimate).
How did Defiance County, Ohio vote in the 2024 presidential election?
In the November 5, 2024 presidential election, Defiance County voters cast 19,156 votes for president: Kamala D Harris (D) 29.6%, Chase Oliver (L) 0.5%, Donald J Trump (R) 69.4%. Donald J Trump carried the county. Source
How did Defiance County get its name?
Defiance County takes its name from Fort Defiance, which Major General Anthony Wayne's army built in August 1794 at the confluence of the Maumee and Auglaize rivers, on the site of the Native settlement cluster known as the Glaize. Source
How many cities, villages and townships are in Defiance County, Ohio?
Defiance County has 16 cities, villages and townships, and 8 ZIP codes reach into it.
Notable people from Defiance County
Ohioans tied to this place, each with a sourced profile. All notable Ohioans
Blue Jacket (Weyapiersenwah)c. 1743-c. 1810Shawnee war leader who, with the Miami leader Little Turtle, led the Native conf...
Little Turtle (Michikiniqua)c. 1747-1812Miami war leader who, with the Shawnee Blue Jacket, destroyed Arthur St. Clair's...
Terence T. Henricks1952-Air Force test pilot from Woodville who piloted two space shuttle missions and c...
History from Defiance County
People and inventions tied to this place, each with its sources. All people · All inventions
Cite and data
Cite this page as:
Cracked Buckeye, "Defiance County", https://crackedbuckeye.com/county/defiance/, built 2026-10-31, accessed [date].
How to cite · Report a correction · Built 2026-10-31
