Population 463 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Defiance
Household size in Defiance
| Period | Defiance | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.57 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.37 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.41 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.31 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.27 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Defiance is a place of small households, averaging 2.31 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.57 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Defiance
| Period | Defiance | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.5 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.9 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.3 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.0 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | −6.5 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Defiance are younger than 40.0 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Defiance
| Period | Defiance | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.4% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.2% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.1% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.2% of households in Defiance, well below the national share of 11.6%.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Defiance
Renters in Defiance
| Period | Defiance | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.7% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.2% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.9% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 16.4% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 16.4% of households in Defiance rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 52.5% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Defiance
| Period | Defiance | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.6% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.0 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Defiance than nationally: 12.6%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Defiance
| Period | Defiance | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1945 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1945 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1941 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1950 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Defiance is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1950, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Defiance
| Period | Defiance | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $562 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $594 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $808 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $799 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$238 | +$351 | +$606 |
The median renter in Defiance pays $799 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 23.5% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Defiance
Bachelor's degrees in Defiance
| Period | Defiance | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.0% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.6% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +17.9 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Defiance: 23.6% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Defiance
| Period | Defiance | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.3% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.0% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.1% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.8% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.5 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Defiance: 95.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Defiance
| Period | Defiance | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.8% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.6% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.2% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Defiance has been low: just 2.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Defiance compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defiance | 2.31 | 40.0 | 4.2% | 16.4% | 12.6% | 1950 | $799 | 23.6% | 95.8% | 2.2% |
| Earling | 2.09 | 44.5 | 6.3% | 20.3% | 15.5% | 1951 | $841 | 26.8% | 96.5% | 3.5% |
| Buck Grove | 3.06 | 33.9 | 6.2% | 18.2% | 16.2% | 1938 | $693 | 16.9% | 99.0% | 1.2% |
| Irwin | 2.38 | 47.4 | 13.4% | 24.4% | 6.2% | 1943 | $731 | 21.2% | 97.7% | 1.0% |
| Westphalia | 2.17 | 41.7 | 6.4% | 18.3% | 7.2% | 1944 | $851 | 25.5% | 97.9% | 1.0% |
| Manilla | 2.61 | 42.6 | 9.1% | 15.9% | 12.2% | 1941 | $689 | 13.4% | 96.4% | 0.6% |
| Dow City | 2.49 | 38.0 | 6.0% | 27.5% | 7.0% | 1951 | $733 | 15.3% | 93.3% | 0.5% |
| Kirkman | 2.50 | 40.8 | 8.2% | 16.8% | 8.9% | 1953 | $755 | 28.4% | 97.3% | 1.2% |
| Panama | 2.25 | 44.5 | 4.9% | 15.0% | 3.9% | 1946 | $805 | 23.3% | 96.2% | 0.8% |
| Arion | 2.65 | 54.5 | 4.4% | 14.1% | 2.0% | 1950 | $773 | 15.2% | 88.5% | 0.7% |
| Harlan | 2.55 | 44.9 | 7.5% | 24.4% | 13.9% | 1961 | $784 | 25.1% | 94.4% | 4.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Victoria, IL · Cruso, NC · Crystal Hill, VA · Westminster, TX · Curdsville, VA · Cynthiana, OH · West Townshend, VT · Decker, IN · Warwicktown, TN · Dutton, MT
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Defiance. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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