Editing Defiance County, Ohio

{{short description|County in Ohio, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Defiance County
 | state                = Ohio
 | flag                 = Flag of Defiance County, Ohio.png
 | seal                 = Seal of Defiance County Ohio.svg
 | founded              = April 7, 1845<ref name="odod">{{cite web|url=http://www.odod.state.oh.us/research/FILES/S0/Defiance.pdf |title=Ohio County Profiles: Defiance County |access-date=April 28, 2007 |publisher=Ohio Department of Development |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070621233145/http://www.odod.state.oh.us/research/FILES/S0/Defiance.pdf |archive-date=June 21, 2007 }}</ref> 
 | seat wl              = Defiance
 | largest city         = Defiance
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 414
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 411
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 2.7
 | area percentage      = 0.7%
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 38286 {{decrease}}
 | density_sq_mi        = 92
 | time zone            = Eastern
 | footnotes            = 
 | web                  = www.defiance-county.com
 | named for            = [[Fort Defiance (Ohio)|Fort Defiance]]
 | ex image             = Defiance County Courthouse 2021.jpg
 | ex image cap         = [[Defiance County Courthouse]]
 | district             = 9th
}}

'''Defiance County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Ohio]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 38,286.<ref name="2020 census">[https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/2020-population-and-housing-state-data.html 2020 census]</ref> Its [[county seat]] and largest city is [[Defiance, Ohio|Defiance]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> The county was [[List of Ohio county name etymologies|named]] after an early [[United States Army|Army]] [[fortification]], [[Fort Defiance (Ohio)|Fort Defiance]], which was so named by [[Anthony Wayne|Mad Anthony Wayne]] to signify the settlers' "defiance" of the Indians.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maumeevalleyheritagecorridor.org/|title=Maumee Valley Heritage Corridor|access-date=April 5, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070628200649/http://www.maumeevalleyheritagecorridor.org/|archive-date=June 28, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9V1IAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA102 | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=102}}</ref> The Defiance, OH [[Micropolitan Statistical Area]] includes all of Defiance County.

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|414|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|411|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|2.7|sqmi}} (0.7%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_39.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140504223453/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_39.txt |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 4, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=February 7, 2015 |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files }}</ref>

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Williams County, Ohio|Williams County]] (north)
*[[Henry County, Ohio|Henry County]] (east)
*[[Putnam County, Ohio|Putnam County]] (southeast)
*[[Paulding County, Ohio|Paulding County]] (south)
*[[Allen County, Indiana]] (southwest)
*[[DeKalb County, Indiana]] (west)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 6966
|1860= 11886
|1870= 15719
|1880= 22515
|1890= 25769
|1900= 26387
|1910= 24498
|1920= 24549
|1930= 22714
|1940= 24367
|1950= 25925
|1960= 31508
|1970= 36949
|1980= 39987
|1990= 39350
|2000= 39500
|2010= 39037
|2020= 38286
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=February 7, 2015}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=February 7, 2015}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/oh190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=February 7, 2015}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=February 7, 2015}}</ref> 2020 <ref name="2020 census">[https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/2020-population-and-housing-state-data.html 2020 census]</ref>
}}

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 39,500 people, 15,138 households, and 11,020 families living in the county. The population density was {{convert|96|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 16,040 housing units at an average density of {{convert|39|/mi2|/km2|adj=pre|units&nbsp;}}. The racial makeup of the county was 92.59% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 1.75% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.26% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.36% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.02% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 3.59% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.43% from two or more races. 7.23% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 45.6% were of [[German Americans|German]], 13.5% [[American ancestry|American]], 6.8% [[Irish Americans|Irish]] and 5.1% [[English Americans|English]] ancestry according to [[Census 2000]].

There were 15,138 households, out of which 34.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.90% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.20% were non-families. 23.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.50% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $44,938, and the median income for a family was $50,876. Males had a median income of $37,936 versus $23,530 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $19,667. About 4.50% of families and 5.60% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 6.40% of those under age 18 and 5.30% of those age 65 or over.

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States Census]], there were 39,037&nbsp;people, 15,268&nbsp;households, and 10,792&nbsp;families living in the county.<ref name="census-dp1">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US39039
  |title=DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data
  |access-date=December 27, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213032744/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US39039
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The population density was {{convert|94.9|PD/sqmi}}. There were 16,729 housing units at an average density of {{convert|40.7|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}.<ref name="census-density">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US39039
  |access-date=December 27, 2015
  |title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213234501/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US39039
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 92.8% white, 1.9% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 2.8% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 8.7% of the population.<ref name="census-dp1"/> In terms of ancestry, 42.3% were [[German Americans|German]], 12.5% were [[Irish Americans|Irish]], 9.6% were [[English Americans|English]], and 7.7% were [[American ancestry|American]].<ref name="census-dp2">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US39039
  |title=DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=December 27, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213023538/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US39039
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

Of the 15,268&nbsp;households, 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.3% were non-families, and 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.97. The median age was 39.4 years.<ref name="census-dp1"/>

The median income for a household in the county was $44,480 and the median income for a family was $54,472. Males had a median income of $44,354 versus $30,610 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,139. About 11.2% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="census-dp3">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US39039
  |title=DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=December 27, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213024958/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US39039
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

==Politics==
Prior to 1940, Defiance County was a Democratic stronghold, voting Republicans only three times since 1856. Starting with the 1940 election, it has been a Republican stronghold, with the exception of Democrat [[Lyndon Johnson]] in the [[1964 United States presidential election|1964 presidential election]].

{{PresHead|place=Defiance County, Ohio|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=May 1, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|13,302|5,667|291|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|13,038|5,981|362|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|11,688|5,368|1,293|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|10,176|7,732|431|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|10,407|8,399|426|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|11,397|6,975|144|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|9,540|6,175|527|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|7,469|6,343|2,081|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|7,195|5,735|4,281|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|9,566|5,448|139|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|10,951|5,004|175|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|9,358|5,096|1,185|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|7,526|5,850|303|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|8,914|4,377|339|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|7,348|5,686|925|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|5,048|8,707|0|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|8,912|5,207|0|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|8,786|3,941|0|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|8,834|4,161|0|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|5,927|4,454|28|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|7,450|3,634|0|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|8,010|4,313|0|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|5,000|5,608|1,062|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|3,871|6,532|192|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|6,289|3,487|0|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|4,841|3,227|1,145|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|5,987|3,723|180|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|2,565|3,359|131|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|872|2,784|1,848|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|2,531|3,754|197|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|3,032|3,216|144|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|2,684|3,766|128|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|2,414|4,239|50|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|2,062|3,311|503|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1888|Democratic|2,245|3,567|218|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1884|Democratic|2,184|3,288|47|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1880|Democratic|1,977|3,140|30|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1876|Democratic|1,520|2,888|7|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1872|Democratic|1,093|1,720|40|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1868|Democratic|1,108|1,899|0|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1864|Democratic|1,146|1,573|0|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1860|Democratic|1,038|1,304|24|Ohio}}
{{PresRow|1856|Democratic|821|895|38|Ohio}}
|}
{{U.S. SenHead|place=Defiance County, Ohio|Seat=1|source=<ref>{{cite news |title=2024 Senate Election (Official Returns) |website=Commonwealth of Texas by county |date=November 5, 2024 |access-date=December 5, 2024 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-elections/ohio-senate-results}}</ref>}}
<!-- U.S. SenRow should be {{U.S. SenRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{U.S. SenRow|2024|Republican|12,028|5,880|822|Ohio}}
{{U.S. SenFoot}}

==Communities==
[[Image:Map of Defiance County Ohio With Municipal and Township Labels.PNG|thumb|300 px|Map of Defiance County, Ohio with Municipal and Township Labels]]

===City===
*[[Defiance, Ohio|Defiance]] (county seat)

===Villages===
*[[Hicksville, Ohio|Hicksville]]
*[[Ney, Ohio|Ney]]
*[[Sherwood, Defiance County, Ohio|Sherwood]]

===Townships===
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
*[[Adams Township, Defiance County, Ohio|Adams]]
*[[Defiance Township, Ohio|Defiance]]
*[[Delaware Township, Defiance County, Ohio|Delaware]]
*[[Farmer Township, Defiance County, Ohio|Farmer]]
*[[Hicksville Township, Defiance County, Ohio|Hicksville]]
*[[Highland Township, Defiance County, Ohio|Highland]]
*[[Mark Township, Defiance County, Ohio|Mark]]
*[[Milford Township, Defiance County, Ohio|Milford]]
*[[Noble Township, Defiance County, Ohio|Noble]]
*[[Richland Township, Defiance County, Ohio|Richland]]
*[[Tiffin Township, Defiance County, Ohio|Tiffin]]
*[[Washington Township, Defiance County, Ohio|Washington]]
{{div col end}}

===Unincorporated communities===
*[[Evansport, Ohio|Evansport]]
*[[Farmer, Ohio|Farmer]]
*[[Jewell, Ohio|Jewell]]
*[[Mark Center, Ohio|Mark Center]]

==Education==
School districts include:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st39_oh/schooldistrict_maps/c39039_defiance/DC20SD_C39039.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Defiance County, OH|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-09-11}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st39_oh/schooldistrict_maps/c39039_defiance/DC20SD_C39039_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>
* [[Ayersville Local School District]]
* [[Central Local School District]]
* [[Defiance City School District]]
* [[Edgerton Local School District]]
* [[Hicksville Exempted Village School District]]
* [[Northeastern Local School District (Defiance County, Ohio)|Northeastern Local School District]]

==In popular culture==
{{More citations needed section|date=June 2023}}
The closeness of elections in Defiance County has also been referenced in fiction; the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] [[political drama]] ''[[Scandal (American TV series)|Scandal]]'' in its second season had as the center of the ongoing plot of the first half of that season, a [[Electoral fraud|vote manipulation]] conspiracy which bent the presidential election towards Republican candidate Fitzgerald Grant based on tampering of the voting machines in Defiance County.

==See also==
*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Defiance County, Ohio]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070501092318/http://www.defiance-county.com/ Defiance County Government's website]
*[https://www.defiancecountyed.com/ Defiance County Economic Development]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Defiance County, Ohio
|North     = [[Williams County, Ohio|Williams County]]
|Northeast = 
|East      = [[Henry County, Ohio|Henry County]]
|Southeast = [[Putnam County, Ohio|Putnam County]]
|South     = [[Paulding County, Ohio|Paulding County]]
|Southwest = [[Allen County, Indiana]]
|West      = [[DeKalb County, Indiana]]
|Northwest = 
}}

{{Defiance County, Ohio}}

{{Ohio}}
{{coord|41.32|-84.49|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-OH_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Defiance County, Ohio| ]]
[[Category:1845 establishments in Ohio]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1845]]