Cost to Own
United States › Ohio › Defiance County › Defiance Population 16,830 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-10-29
The part nobody budgets Even with the mortgage fully paid off, the median home here still costs $518 a month in taxes, insurance, utilities and upkeep. See the full Defiance County picture

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Defiance, Ohio

A $135,000 home here costs

$1,254

per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $53,500 a year.

P&I 59%Tax 10%Insurance 4%Utilities 18%Upkeep 9%

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $736. The real number is $518 higher every month, 70% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Compare Defiance County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown

Defiance median: $134,600
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
OH average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $108,000 borrowed $736
Property tax1.097% effective rate for Defiance itself $123
Homeowners insuranceOhio averages $920/yr (NAIC), or 0.446% of home value $50
Electricity19.38ยข/kWh, Ohio residential average, EIA $164
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $113
Total monthly $1,254

Defiance against Defiance County and Ohio

MeasureDefianceDefiance County
Median home value$134,600$150,900
Median property tax$1,476$1,686
Effective tax rate1.097%1.117%
Median gross rent$841$826
Population16,83038,258

The weather behind that power bill

Defiance sits in Defiance County, which averages a high of 83.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 18.1°F in its coldest, with 32.95" of precipitation a year and 33% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 747 cooling and 6,179 heating degree days, which is what sets the $164 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Defiance County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Defiance County

Full Defiance County cost breakdown · Every county in Ohio

Talk to someone who works this market

These are Defiance averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Defiance every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.

I'm looking to buy in Defiance I already own here and may sell

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Defiance?

A $135,000 home in Defiance, Ohio costs approximately $1,254 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $736 principal and interest, $123 property tax, $50 homeowners insurance, $232 utilities and $113 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Defiance?

Defiance has an effective property tax rate of 1.097%, based on a median home value of $134,600 and median real estate taxes of $1,476. That is lower than the Defiance County average of 1.117%.

What is the average home price in Defiance?

The median owner-occupied home value in Defiance, Ohio is $134,600, against $150,900 across Defiance County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Defiance?

Median gross rent in Defiance is $841 a month, against $1,254 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

What salary do you need to buy a home in Defiance?

Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Defiance, Ohio at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $53,500 a year. That covers the full $1,254 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Defiance, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Ohio.
  • Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
  • Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
  • Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.

Full methodology