Defiance City

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Defiance, Ohio - 3 schools

An equity score of 59/100 ranks Defiance City #195 of 806 districts in Ohio (state average 46). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,655 per pupil, Defiance City ranks #500 of 966 Ohio districts by per-pupil spending (Ohio districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,339
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$13,655
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Defiance City operates 3 public schools serving 2,339 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Ohio. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Defiance County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,655 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 966 Ohio districts by per-pupil spending. See how Ohio compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 33.1% local, 51.8% state, and 15.1% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 59/100, ranked #195 of 806 in Ohio against a state average of 46, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (4 AP courses district-wide), a 351.9:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 34.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 63.6% White, 26.7% Hispanic or Latino, 4.5% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Defiance Elementary School, with a diversity index of 56.0/100.

Its largest campus is Defiance Elementary School, enrolling 1,075 students (46% of the district's total enrollment).

Defiance Elementary School accounts for 45.9% of all Defiance City student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Defiance City a distant remainder — means Defiance City-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Defiance City student-counselor ratio is 352:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Defiance City chronic absenteeism rate is 34.7% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

15.1%
Federal
51.8%
State
33.1%
Local

Funding Equity

59
Equity Score
195 / 806
State Rank
46
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Defiance City.

White 63.6%
Hispanic or Latino 26.7%
African American 4.5%
Multiracial 4.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 51.8/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Defiance City's schools, above the Ohio average of 35.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Defiance Elementary School 56.0
  2. 2 Defiance High School 51.4
  3. 3 Defiance Middle School 47.9

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
4 AP courses total
351.9:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
34.7%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Defiance City

School Enrollment
Defiance Elementary School
1,075
Defiance High School
697
Defiance Middle School
572

How Defiance City Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Ohio districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Lexington Local Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Athens City Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Jackson City Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Greenville City Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Tipp City Exempted Village Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Defiance City's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Ohio

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Columbus City Schools District
45,338 students · 118 schools · $20,324/pupil
Compare vs Defiance City →
Cincinnati Public Schools
35,585 students · 65 schools · $18,181/pupil
Compare vs Defiance City →
Cleveland Municipal
33,998 students · 95 schools · $21,661/pupil
Compare vs Defiance City →
Olentangy Local
23,281 students · 27 schools · $13,879/pupil
Compare vs Defiance City →
Toledo City
21,814 students · 57 schools · $18,515/pupil
Compare vs Defiance City →

Compare Defiance City

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Columbus City Schools District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Defiance City?

Defiance City has 3 schools, including 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 2,339 students.

How much does Defiance City spend per student?

Defiance City spends $13,655 per student. The district has an equity score of 59/100, ranking #195 in Ohio.

What is the demographic composition of Defiance City?

Defiance City students are 63.6% White, 26.7% Hispanic or Latino, 4.5% African American, 0.4% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Defiance City?

Defiance City has an equity score of 59/100, ranking #195 out of 806 districts in Ohio.