Defiance County, Ohio: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Defiance, Defiance Township and Noble Township
Defiance County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Defiance County is home to Defiance, Defiance Township, Noble Township and Hicksville Township. 90 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Naturgy Solar Operation USA LLC (solar). 90 MW of it is already under construction or built. Next door, Allen County, Indiana, has 6 data centers. Unemployment was 2.9% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019. Its power plants have 454 MW of capacity, 96% of it natural gas.
Cities and towns in Defiance County
Defiance County is home to Defiance, Defiance Township, Noble Township and Hicksville Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Brunersburg.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Defiance County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 38,268 | 38,292 | ▲ 0.1% | 65th of 88 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 15,385 | 15,438 | ▲ 0.3% | 46th of 88 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,440 | $55,090 | ▲ 26.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 2.9% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 90 MW | 20% of today's fleet | 15th of 22 by size |
Ohio Power Co is the largest utility serving Defiance County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.33¢/kWh in 2024, above the 15.40¢ median for Ohio utilities. Employers here counted 15,438 jobs in 2025, up 0.3% from 2019. 38,292 people live here, up 0.1% since 2020.
Who powers Defiance County
Utilities with service territory in Defiance County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,339,232 | 19.33¢ | 22% |
| The Toledo Edison Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 278,814 | 16.64¢ | 16% |
| Paulding-Putman Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,176 | 17.67¢ | 21% |
| North Western Elec Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 435 MW | 96% |
| Petroleum | 15 MW | 3% |
| Hydro | 4 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richland (OH) | Richland-Stryker Generation LLC | Natural gas | 450 MW | 1965 |
| Auglaize Hydro | City of Bryan - (OH) | Hydro | 4 MW | 1986 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Center Solar Project | Solar Photovoltaic | 90 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Naturgy Solar Operation USA LLC |
The Defiance County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 15,438 | $55,090 | 1.00 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Defiance County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Defiance County. Ohio has 105 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: DeKalb County, Williams County.
Defiance County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Defiance County, Allen County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defiance County | 38,292 | ▲ 0.3% | 454 MW | 90 MW | — | — |
| Allen County IN | 402,329 | ▲ 4.3% | — | — | 6 | — |
| DeKalb County IN | 44,535 | ▼ 2.8% | 12 MW | 180 MW | — | 1 |
| Henry County | 27,598 | ▼ 1.0% | 69 MW | 206 MW | — | — |
| Paulding County | 18,727 | ▲ 9.0% | 634 MW | — | — | — |
| Putnam County | 34,380 | ▲ 4.4% | 205 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Williams County | 36,549 | ▼ 8.8% | 135 MW | — | — | 2 |
More of Ohio
Defiance County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Defiance County, Ohio?
4 utilities have service territory in Defiance County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ohio Power Co, The Toledo Edison Co, Paulding-Putman Elec Coop, Inc, North Western Elec Coop, Inc. The largest, Ohio Power Co, charged residential customers 19.33¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Defiance, OH in?
Defiance is in Defiance County, Ohio. About 17,009 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Defiance Township, OH in?
Defiance Township is in Defiance County, Ohio. About 13,305 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Defiance County?
2 operating plants with 454 MW of capacity. The largest is Richland (OH) (450 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Defiance County?
90 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 90 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Naturgy Solar Operation USA LLC.
Are there data centers in Defiance County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Defiance County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Allen County.
Is Defiance County adding jobs?
Employers counted 15,438 jobs in 2025 against 15,385 in 2019 (+0.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Defiance County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Defiance County. Ohio has 105 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.