Nearly centered between Toledo and Fort Wayne, the city of Defiance, Ohio, is the county seat of Defiance County. The city surrounds the meeting of the Maumee and Auglaize Rivers, originally the site of Native American settlements. It takes its name from Fort Defiance, around which it developed after General Anthony Wayne ransacked the area and burned the native villages to establish his base of operations. Established in 1823 and incorporated as a village in 1836, it's now home to more than 17,000 people and major employers including the GM Powertrain Foundry and Johns Manville.
GM of Defiance is an aluminum foundry and machining center that produces multiple cylinder blocks and cylinder head castings for GM engines.
Johns Manville in Defiance manufactures premium-quality insulation and commercial roofing.
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The grounds of Fort Defiance at the confluence of Auglaize and Maumee
“We have a lot of great opportunities here for activities and amenities,” says Kirstie Mack, Executive Director of Defiance Main Street and Visitors Bureau. “And we’re in a great location to be able to travel to some of the larger cities and communities.” Defiance has 16 parks featuring amenities like athletic fields, splash pads, trails and more. The grounds of Fort Defiance, the fort around which the city was developed, is now a park at the intersection of the Auglaize and Maumee Rivers. On Precision Way, dog owners can let their pooch run at the Bark and Run Dog Park. Parks across the city also host annual events to celebrate art, raise money for Alzheimer research and other community efforts.
The Auglaize River in Defiance is named for the sheen on its surface, a natural result of the clay soil along the banks of the river.
The beautiful Maumee River runs right along downtown Defiance.
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Dutch colonials, modern farmhouses and a median price below the national median
Home styles and lot sizes vary from less than an acre to well over five acres, depending on the proximity to the city's downtown. Prices range from around $40,000 for Dutch colonials needing repairs to $545,000 for fully updated farmhouses. There are a few manufactured homes towards the city's outskirts, with prices typically between $24,000 and $55,000. The median home price in 2024 was $169,500, less than half the national median.
There are many housing styles in Defiance such as Dutch Colonials.
Modern farmhouses are becoming a popular option for families in Defiance.
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Defiance history at the Andrew L. Tuttle Museum
Along Clinton Street, Defiance's downtown area has boutique shops ranging from gaming and sewing stores to tattoo services and more. Dining options include restaurants ranging from Puerto Rican to Italian, a pastry shop and local bars. Many of the restaurants, Mack says, still maintain their historic feel. “Kissner’s, Bud’s and Meek’s are all longstanding restaurants and bakeries in the downtown area.” The Andrew L. Tuttle Museum commemorates the area’s history, including the Native American cultures that thrived before colonization. “Defiance is full of history, so they’re a great resource for learning about that,” Mack says. The Stroede Center for the Arts hosts the Defiance Community Cultural Council, which promotes the arts in Defiance and hosts a year-round variety of theatrical and musical performances.
Dos Eppi's in Defiance serves up traditional Puerto Rican and Mexican fare to locals.
The Andrew Tuttle Museum in Defiance is dedicated to preserving the history of the city of Defiance and the surrounding area.
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Defiance Rib Fest, the Lilac Festival and other annual events
A few of the city’s annual events downtown celebrate the local food scene. Held in spring, Chocolate Walk lures residents to downtown businesses, which hand out chocolate and wine to coincide with special deals and sales. Also in spring, Defiance County Restaurant Week celebrates the city’s culinary landscape. In the winter, local businesses bake cookies and cook up deals to celebrate the season with the annual Cookie Crumble. The Defiance Main Street and Visitors Bureau also hosts numerous events throughout the year, Mack says, and their two largest events are the Lilac Festival held in spring and the Defiance Rib Fest held in fall. The Lilac Festival, Mack says, is “an arts and crafts and street vendor fair” that will be celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025. The Defiance Rib Fest is “kind of like a downtown block party,” Mack says. “It is our largest fundraiser.”
The Defiance City School, with more than 2,300 students
The Defiance City School District has one elementary school, one middle school and one high school and earns an overall B on Niche. The district has more than 2,300 students and maintains a 17:1 student-teacher ratio and an average graduation rate of 95%. Defiance College is a small private college run by the United Church of Christ on the city's north side, with roughly 500 students.
Defiance Elementary has 1,044 students in grades K-5 with a student-teacher ratio of 17 to 1.
Defiance College in Defiance is a private college located in Defiance, Ohio and affiliated with the United Church of Christ.
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Less than 50 miles east of Fort Wayne
While Downtown Defiance has a network of sidewalks, most residential streets do not, but they are wide enough for parking, walking, or biking. There is no public transportation system in the city. Highway 24 runs through the northside and leads 57 miles east to Toledo or 47 miles west to Fort Wayne. The closest interstate is Interstate 469, just outside Fort Wayne. This is the most direct route to Fort Wayne International Airport, the closest commercial airport.
The city is well-prepared for its environment
According to FBI data, property and violent crime rates in Defiance are consistently lower than state and national rates. Since the city sits on the convergence of two rivers, there is a notable risk of flood impact on the area over the next 30 years. Environmental data also shows that air quality in the city is better than most other cities in the state. Summers are warm, with highs peaking around the mid-80s in July, when people wear shorts and festival season is in full swing. Winters bring average annual snowfalls of about 15 inches, but the city clears roads relatively quickly, and it's rare for life to come to a standstill due to snow.
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