Ohio

Defiance

38,286
2020 population
1850
first census record
18
census records

About Defiance

Defiance, Ohio, first appears in the United States federal census in 1850, when it recorded a population of 6,966. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 38,286.

Its recorded population peaked at 39,987 in 1980, and has since declined by roughly 4 percent.

On the ground today, 4 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Wayne's Grand Glaize Campaign / Defiance Campaign (1794), Northwest Indian War — Wayne's Fort Defiance 1794, Wayne's campaign skirmishes Fort Defiance 1794, and 12 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
202038,286
201039,037
200039,500
199039,350
198039,987
197036,949
196031,508
195025,925
194024,367
193022,714
192024,549
191024,498
190026,387
189025,769
188022,515
187015,719
186011,886
18506,966
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Defiance

Military engagements that took place in Defiance, Ohio.

Wayne's Grand Glaize Campaign / Defiance Campaign (1794)
1794
Northwest Indian War — Wayne's Fort Defiance 1794
1794
Wayne's campaign skirmishes Fort Defiance 1794
1794
Battle of Fallen Timbers approach at Fort Defiance
1794

Historic places in Defiance

National Register of Historic Places listings in Defiance, Ohio.

Dey Road Bridge
Defiance
Brooke Site
Defiance
Fort Defiance Park
Defiance
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Hicksville
Defiance Public Library
Defiance
Browse all Ohiohistoric sites ›

Other counties in Ohio

Explore census history and historic records for more Ohio counties.

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Everything a full report reveals about Defiance County, Ohio

This page charts the census history of Defiance County, Ohio. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Defiance

When does Defiance first appear in the US census?
Defiance, Ohio first appears in the federal census in 1850, with a recorded population of 6,966.
What is the population of Defiance?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Defiance had a recorded population of 38,286.
When did Defiance's population peak?
Defiance's recorded population peaked at 39,987 in 1980.
Were any battles fought in Defiance?
4 documented military engagements took place in Defiance, including Wayne's Grand Glaize Campaign / Defiance Campaign (1794), Northwest Indian War — Wayne's Fort Defiance 1794, Wayne's campaign skirmishes Fort Defiance 1794.
How many historic places are in Defiance?
12 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Defiance, Ohio.
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