George Rewerts House · National Register of Historic Places
Defiance’s story
151 years in pictures
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1875Defiance is settled
DefianceIA
A town of 242, settled in 1875.
Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
242
2025 Census estimate · −2% since 2020
Typical home
$210K
+2.2% in a year
Household income
$54K
median
Median age
36.2
years
Jobs based here
125
Balanced
Is Defiance a good place to live?
Only 2 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Defiance. George Rewerts House is on the National Register of Historic Places. Defiance has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
242 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Defiance: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Defiance, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterDefiance Water DepartmentNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Defiance’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Iowa you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereShelby County AuditorShelby County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5152751527 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Defiance.
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Defiance
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 68% of U.S. communities.
68risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesDrought
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Defiance
Defiance has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 11° and about 35 inches of snow falls in a winter.
35″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–32°
Spring37–60°
Summer61–82°
Fall39–62°
Oct 11
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Defiance has 1.2 jobs for every working resident, and 121 people commute in
Most working residents leave Defiance for work: only 4% work in town. Since 2013, Defiance has added 57 jobs, to 125 in 2023. Defiance’s median household income is $54,000, against $69,000 in Iowa’s towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns.
4%work in town
| Defiance | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 3.9% | 31% | 8% |
| Median household income | $54,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Defiance4%
Harlan20%
Elk Horn9%
Omaha6%
Denison5%
23 mi
median commute distance
125
jobs based in Defiance
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
Compared with most of Iowa and the rest of the country, fewer of Defiance’s adults report frequent mental distress
14% of Defiance adults report frequent mental distress, where Iowa’s towns sit at 16% and U.S. towns at 17%. 29% of Defiance adults feel lonely. Defiance beats the Iowa average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6.
| Defiance | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 32% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 21% | 23% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
10 better16 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Defiance | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.6% | 6.4% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.9% | 9.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.8% | 8.7% |
Myrtue Medical Center
12.3 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
The typical home in Defiance is valued at about $210K
The typical Defiance home is worth about $210,000, up 2.2% in a year, 11% below the Iowa typical home. 90% of households own their home in Defiance.
$210KZillow home value
| Defiance | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 90% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $770 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Defiance$210K
Iowa$237K
+2.2%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Defiance
16pages on Defiance
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Defiance; the nearest are
Iowa Western Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Council Bluffs44.9 mi$6,930 in-state tuitionUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterUniversity or college · Public · Omaha, NE51.2 mi
About 1 of every 100 Defiance residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
About Defiance
City in Iowa, United States
Defiance is a city in Shelby County, Iowa, United States, along the West Branch of the West Nishnabotna River. The population was 245 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,276 ft
- ZIP code
- 51527
Questions about Defiance
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Defiance, IA a good place to live?
Defiance has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.