Real Estate Investing in Defiance, Ohio (43512)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Defiance County • Population: 27,894 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 43512 (Defiance, OH)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (74/100)

Solid choice — values are growing steadily and the market is stable enough to buy with confidence.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • Elevated vacancy: 8.7% vacancy may signal weakening demand.

• Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.

What’s happening in Defiance, OH (43512)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $187,908
Avg Monthly Rent $900
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $69,889
% Renters 23.8%

Market Analysis: 43512 Defiance

Investors eyeing 43512 need to respect the fundamentals at play. Home values of $188K come alongside slower price movement and elevated management overhead.

Meanwhile, the numbers look inviting — $188K purchase price, 0.0% nominal cap — the work to hit that pro forma in 43512 is substantial and deserves full respect.

Within OH, ZIP 43512 trails on several market indicators that neighboring Defiance County submarkets outperform. The gap is real and healthy enough to shape underwriting.

The 43512 ZIP's population of 27,894 has faced economic pressure over the last decade. That pressure shows up in rent delinquency patterns that comes in at the need for careful underwriting.

New investors are better served looking at Defiance's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 43512. The learning curve here is expensive when the lesson is wrong.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Defiance:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 76/100
Affordability
20/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Affordable
Homes cost 2.7× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+6.6%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $900/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
WARM
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
☀️
WARM MARKET
Defiance, OH Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
7.4%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Defiance, OH metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 43512

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
1BR
6.5% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
5BR
+8.1% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
5BR
$55,177/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $91,301 $820 6.5% +6.9% $91,301
2BR $129,653 $1,000 5.6% +7.6% $64,827
3BR $192,454 $1,270 4.8% +7.5% $64,151
4BR $238,926 $1,450 4.4% +7.8% $59,731
5BR $275,884 +8.1% $55,177

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$196K$173K$150K$127K$103K$80KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

📊 How Does 43512 Compare?

Metric 43512 Defiance Defiance, OH Ohio
Home Value $187,908 $187,908 N/A $237,530
5-Year CAGR 5.4% 5.4% N/A 7.4%
Avg Rent $900 $900 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.7% 3.7% - -
💡 Why Invest in 43512? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 43512 (Defiance, OH). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.7%
Low
5yr Growth
+5.4%
Moderate

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Defiance, OH metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
47%
Days Pending
0/2
0 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $187,908
Monthly Rent $900
Price-to-Rent 17.4:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 5.8%
Cap Rate 3.7%
5-Year IRR 9.2%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +6.6% ▲
3-Year CAGR +6.1% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.4% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.0% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.7%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.7%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
8.7%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+5.4%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 43512

Population: 27,894

💰 Median Household Income
$69,889
This area
$69,889
State
$68,496
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
23.8%
This area
23.8%
State
25.8%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.8%
This area
2.8%
State
-9.1%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
18.5%
This area
18.5%
State
8.4%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
43.1 years
This area
43.1 years
State
19.6 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
8.7%
This area
8.7%
State
11.1%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 87.5%
Other/Mixed 9.8%
Hispanic/Latino 7.4%
Black/African American 2.3%
Asian 0.4%
👶 Under 18
21.1%
This area
21.1%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
20.6%
This area
20.6%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
6.7%
This area
6.7%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 43512

B+ Avg School Grade
8 Schools
17.7:1 Avg Class Size
$18,523 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

Ayersville Elementary School

📚 K – 06 School
👥
344 Students
👨‍🏫
14.7:1 Class Size
💰
$14,477 Per Student
A Very Good

Tinora Elementary School

📚 K – 04 Elementary
👥
356 Students
👨‍🏫
18.7:1 Class Size
💰
$25,077 Per Student
A Very Good

Tinora Middle School

📚 04 – 09 High School
👥
320 Students
👨‍🏫
18.8:1 Class Size
💰
$25,077 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Ayersville High School

📚 07 – 12 High School
👥
338 Students
👨‍🏫
16.4:1 Class Size
💰
$14,477 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Defiance High School

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
713 Students
👨‍🏫
16.1:1 Class Size
💰
$14,667 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Defiance Middle School

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
557 Students
👨‍🏫
16.9:1 Class Size
💰
$14,667 Per Student
B Good

Defiance Elementary School

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
1,053 Students
👨‍🏫
16.5:1 Class Size
💰
$14,667 Per Student
B Good

Tinora High School

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
283 Students
👨‍🏫
23.6:1 Class Size
💰
$25,077 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

3 Nearby 1,113 Off-Campus Students
C
Defiance College
511 students · 0.4 mi
C
Northwest State Community College
4,110 students · 10.7 mi
D
Four County Career Center
129 students · 10.7 mi

Investor Insight: With 1,113 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do rentals sit vacant long in Defiance, OH?

Vacancy in Defiance, OH is elevated, which keeps landlord downtime on reasonable timelines. Most properties lease within the standard window at $900/mo.

How do landlord-tenant laws work in Defiance, OH?

Defiance, OH operates under OH law, which is landlord-friendly overall for landlords. Expect stable treatment in typical lease and eviction cases.

Is housing expensive in Defiance, OH?

Homes in Defiance, OH typically sell near $188K. Prices have moved at a 0.0% 5-year CAGR, which even-keeled long-term demand.

How much do tenants pay in Defiance, OH?

Average rent in Defiance, OH is approximately $900/mo per month. Against $188K home values that yields a reasonable rent-to-price ratio.

How qualified is the tenant pool in Defiance, OH?

Tenant quality in Defiance, OH ranks as solid. Landlords generally report steady occupancy at market rents of $900/mo.

You know 43512 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 43512 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

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How 43512 ranks in Defiance, OH

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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