Small-town market profile · Ohio
Defiance, OH area market data
How the Defiance area compares with other small-town markets for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 38,292
- +0.1% since 2020
- Households
- 15,327
- Median household income
- $73,064
- +21.9% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $163,200
- Jobs located here
- 14,922
- Highest market score
- 76
- Dentists and orthodontists, #48 of 526 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Defiance area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Defiance area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
The Defiance area has an estimated 38,292 people and 15,327 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Defiance area from 2020 to 2025 at +0.1%, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in the Defiance area is $73,064, 10% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 21.9%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Defiance area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 119, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (59).
Of the business types scored in the Defiance area, dentists and orthodontists (76), grocery stores (72) and gyms and studios (71) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For dentists and orthodontists, that ranks #48 of 526 scored small-town markets.
The Defiance area is made up of one county, Defiance County. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for gas stations (85% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate businesses (56% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Defiance area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Defiance area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dentists and orthodontists | 76 | #48 of 526 | 12 | 7.8 | $1.7M | 174 | 6 |
| Grocery stores | 72 | #58 of 506 | 7 | 4.6 | $12.9M | 138 | 5 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 71 | #45 of 535 | 14 | 9.1 | $838K | 127 | 3 |
| Barbershops | 70 | #71 of 377 | 5 | 3.3 | $2.9M | 153 | Under 3 |
| Physical therapy | 66 | #87 of 400 | 7 | 4.6 | $2.9M | 122 | 4 |
| Gyms | 64 | #102 of 506 | 9 | 5.9 | $1.3M | 100 | 3 |
| Tire shops | 64 | #123 of 431 | 7 | 4.6 | $2.5M | 100 | Under 3 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 64 | #131 of 538 | 30 | 19.6 | $3M | 89 | 8 |
| Convenience stores | 63 | #148 of 529 | 15 | 9.8 | $6M | 76 | 3 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 63 | #154 of 536 | 27 | 17.6 | $1M | 119 | 5 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 63 | #159 of 536 | 19 | 12.4 | $1.5M | 117 | 5 |
| Nail salons | 62 | #115 of 387 | 6 | 3.9 | $2.4M | 144 | Under 3 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 60 | #165 of 538 | 72 | 47.0 | $778K | 117 | 27 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 59 | #131 of 400 | 7 | 4.6 | $2.9M | 94 | 3 |
| Chiropractors | 59 | #145 of 426 | 8 | 5.2 | $2.6M | 108 | 5 |
| Auto repair and car care | 59 | #188 of 538 | 66 | 43.1 | $265K | 99 | 25 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 58 | #197 of 538 | 114 | 74.4 | $181K | 118 | 34 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 56 | #201 of 538 | 145 | 94.6 | $386K | 104 | 66 |
| Real estate | 55 | #193 of 536 | 26 | 17.0 | Index only | 183 | 12 |
| Pet businesses | 55 | #210 of 527 | 17 | 11.1 | $709K | 81 | 7 |
| Auto repair shops | 55 | #220 of 538 | 39 | 25.4 | $448K | 101 | 20 |
| Funeral homes | 54 | #154 of 365 | 6 | 3.9 | $383K | 56 | 3 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 54 | #195 of 476 | 11 | 7.2 | $3.6M | 75 | 7 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 54 | #221 of 529 | 13 | 8.5 | $4.3M | 116 | 9 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 53 | #248 of 537 | 21 | 13.7 | $2.7M | 87 | 30 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 51 | #176 of 387 | 6 | 3.9 | $2.9M | 94 | 7 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 50 | #234 of 481 | 11 | 7.2 | $1.6M | 96 | 14 |
| Home repair trades | 50 | #279 of 526 | 23 | 15.0 | $1.7M | 70 | 14 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 49 | #245 of 458 | 16 | 10.4 | $1.3M | 72 | 16 |
| Gas stations | 49 | #288 of 536 | 31 | 20.2 | $1.5M | 61 | 18 |
| Car washes and detailing | 47 | #242 of 441 | 10 | 6.5 | $1.7M | 69 | 3 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 46 | #316 of 533 | 25 | 16.3 | Index only | 151 | 8 |
| Child care and preschools | 42 | #304 of 454 | 8 | 5.2 | $660K | 66 | 8 |
| Spas and skin care | 42 | #349 of 504 | 15 | 9.8 | $959K | 110 | 4 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 40 | #391 of 538 | 72 | 47.0 | $200K | 94 | 13 |
| Pizza | 39 | #370 of 520 | 19 | 12.4 | $2.9M | 58 | 30 |
| Hair salons | 39 | #399 of 538 | 45 | 29.4 | $320K | 74 | 7 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 38 | #284 of 387 | 8 | 5.2 | $1.5M | 59 | 4 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 35 | #310 of 399 | 11 | 7.2 | $1.6M | 55 | 11 |
| Insurance agencies | 35 | #394 of 537 | 21 | 13.7 | $1.3M | 104 | 20 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 34 | #419 of 507 | 18 | 11.7 | $3.1M | 75 | 12 |
| Roofing and gutters | 31 | #246 of 288 | 8 | 5.2 | $4.9M | 58 | 4 |
| Electricians | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.6 | $9.8M | 82 | 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.6 | $3M | 67 | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.6 | $3M | 111 | 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.0 | $9.4M | 75 | Under 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.0 | $3.9M | 194 | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.0 | $6.9M | 28 | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.3 | $5.9M | Too few | 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | $17.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Defiance area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $17.5M | $1,140 | 119 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $45.2M | $2,951 | 114 |
| Food away from home | $56M | $3,656 | 90 |
| Groceries | $90M | $5,870 | 93 |
| Personal care products and services | $14.4M | $939 | 93 |
| Child care and other personal services | $5.3M | $344 | 59 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $11.7M | $765 | 78 |
| Medical and dental services | $20.6M | $1,343 | 104 |
| Pets | $12.1M | $787 | 87 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $28.2M | $1,838 | 89 |
| Vehicle insurance | $27.5M | $1,796 | 92 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $39.3M | $2,564 | 85 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $17.8M | $1,162 | 82 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $205.7M | $13,419 | 81 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Defiance area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 38,292+0.1% since 2020
- Households
- 15,327
- Median age
- 40.9
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 79%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.0
- Land area
- 411 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 93
- Median household income
- $73,064+21.9% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $88,073
- Median home value
- $163,200
- Jobs located here
- 14,922
- Daytime population
- 36,059Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Defiance area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Defiance area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Defiance area 1
- Defiance County, OH38,343 people
Other markets based in Ohio 12
- Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area2,270,706 people
- Columbus, OH metro area2,175,788 people
- Cleveland, OH metro area2,171,526 people
- Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH metro area816,080 people
- Akron, OH metro area699,820 people
- Toledo, OH metro area602,322 people
- Youngstown-Warren, OH metro area427,420 people
- Canton-Massillon, OH metro area400,372 people
- Springfield, OH metro area135,158 people
- Mansfield, OH metro area125,099 people
- Sandusky, OH metro area114,575 people
- Lima, OH metro area101,348 people
Questions
How fast is the Defiance, OH area growing?
Population estimates put the Defiance area at 38,292 people in 2025, up 0.1% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 15,327 households. Median household income rose 21.9% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in the Defiance, OH area spend?
Households in the Defiance area spend about $205.7M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $90M on groceries and $56M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the Defiance area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 119, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (59).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Defiance, OH area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Defiance area are for dentists and orthodontists (76), grocery stores (72) and gyms and studios (71). The Defiance area ranks #48 of 526 scored small-town markets for dentists and orthodontists.
How does the Defiance, OH area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the Defiance area is $73,064 a year, 10% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 0.1% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $163,200, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the Defiance area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for gas stations (85% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate businesses (56% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 42 of the 56 business types have a score in the Defiance area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Defiance area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Defiance area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Defiance area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.