Cost of Living & Housing in Defiance
Defiance's cost of living pairs genuinely affordable housing and a below-Ohio-median property tax rate with the city's own directly-administered, comparatively simple local income tax -- against a comparatively healthy area median income for this project's Ohio Tier C batch.
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Learn moreGenuinely affordable housing relative to Ohio statewide
Defiance's average home value ran $187,806 in 2026 (up 4.3% year-over-year) per Zillow -- notably below the Ohio statewide average, which itself carries a real, disclosed cross-source spread ($218,865-$251,502). Confirm current, specific listings directly (base record).
A below-Ohio-median property tax rate
Defiance's own effective property tax rate ran 1.31%, genuinely below the Ohio statewide median (~1.60%), with a median annual property tax bill of approximately $1,697 -- $703 below the national median bill (base record).
Defiance's own 1.8% city income tax, administered directly through the city
Defiance levies a real, current 1.8% municipal income tax through its own Income Tax Division (631 Perry St.), consistent with the self-collecting pattern documented for similarly-structured Ohio cities in this project. Ohio's flat 2.75% state income tax (above a $26,050 exemption) and 5.75% state base sales tax apply on top (base record).
A comparatively healthy area median income -- with a real, disclosed city-vs-region poverty gap
Defiance's median household income ran $61,439, comparatively healthy for this project's Ohio Tier C batch. However, the city's own poverty rate (approximately 14.8%) runs notably higher than the broader Defiance micro area's rate (approximately 10.5%) -- a real, disclosed gap worth knowing (base record).
Key takeaways
- Defiance's housing runs genuinely affordable relative to the Ohio statewide average ($187,806, +4.3% YoY).
- The effective property tax rate (1.31%) runs genuinely below the Ohio statewide median.
- Defiance's own 1.8% city income tax is administered directly through the city, not RITA or CCA.
- Median household income ($61,439) is comparatively healthy, though the city carries a real, disclosed higher poverty rate than the broader micro area.
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