Defiance County, Ohio

Defiance County, Ohio
Location in the state of Ohio
Ohio's location in the U.S.
Founded	April 7, 1845[1]
Named for	Fort Defiance
Seat	Defiance
Largest city	Defiance
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	414 sq mi (1,073 km²) 411 sq mi (1,065 km²) 3 sq mi (8 km²), 0.73
Population  - (2000)  - Density	39,500 96/sq mi (37/km²)
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website	www.defiance-county.com

Defiance County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of 2010, the population was 39,037. [1] Its county seat is Defiance^[2]. It was named after an early Army fortification, Fort Defiance, which was named that by Mad Anthony Wayne to signify the settler's "defiance" of the Indians.^[3][4]

The Defiance Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Defiance County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 414 square miles (1,072.3 km²). 411 square miles (1,064.5 km²) is land and 3 square miles (7.8 km²) (0.73%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Williams County (north)
• Henry County (east)
• Putnam County (southeast)
• Paulding County (south)
• Allen County, Indiana (southwest)
• DeKalb County, Indiana (west)

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1850	6,966		—
1860	11,886		70.6%
1870	15,719		32.2%
1880	22,515		43.2%
1890	25,769		14.5%
1900	26,387		2.4%
1910	24,498		−7.2%
1920	24,549		0.2%
1930	22,714		−7.5%
1940	24,367		7.3%
1950	25,925		6.4%
1960	31,508		21.5%
1970	36,949		17.3%
1980	39,987		8.2%
1990	39,350		−1.6%
2000	39,500		0.4%
Est. 2007	38,543		−2.4%
Population 1800-2007.[1]

As of the census^[5] of 2000, there were 39,500 people, 15,138 households, and 11,020 families residing in the county. The population density was 96 people per square mile (37/km²). There were 16,040 housing units at an average density of 39 per square mile (15/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.59% White, 1.75% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.59% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. 7.23% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 45.6% were of German, 13.5% American, 6.8% Irish and 5.1% 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 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.

Government

Defiance County Courthouse.

Main article: Ohio county government

Politics

This county is the most reliable bellwether county in the nation since 1988, based on how close the county's margin of victory was compared to the nation as a whole. The difference between 2004 difference in points vs. the national trend was just 0.1%. It was very tight in all the other elections since 1980: 4.6% in 2000, 0.4% in 1996, 0.04% (exactly) in 1992, 0.6% in 1988, 0.03 in 1984, and 2.1% in 1980.^[6]

Although in 2008, it finally lost its bellwether status when John McCain won here with 54% of the vote.^[7]

Communities

Map of Defiance County, Ohio With Municipal and Township Labels

City

• Defiance

Villages

• Hicksville
• Ney
• Sherwood

Townships

Adams Defiance Delaware Farmer

Hicksville Highland Mark Milford

Noble Richland Tiffin Washington

Unincorporated communities

Ashwood Ayersville Brunersburg Evansport Farmer Independence

Jewell Mark Center Moats Rosedale Six Corners The Bend

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Defiance County, Ohio

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Ohio County Profiles: Defiance County" (PDF). Ohio Department of Development. http://www.odod.state.oh.us/research/FILES/S0/Defiance.pdf. Retrieved 2007-04-28. 
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
3. ^ "Maumee Valley Heritage Corridor". http://www.maumeevalleyheritagecorridor.org/. Retrieved 2007-04-05. 
4. ^ "Defiance County data". Ohio State University Extension Data Center. http://www.osuedc.org/profiles/profile_entrance.php?fips=39039&sid=0. Retrieved 2007-04-28. ^{[dead link]}
5. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
6. ^ http://massinc.typepad.com/beyondredandblue/2008/08/top-50-bellweth.html
7. ^ http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/

External links

• Defiance County Government's website

Coordinates: 41°19′N 84°29′W / 41.32°N 84.49°W / 41.32; -84.49