SC TO-C

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                   SCHEDULE TO

            TENDER OFFER STATEMENT UNDER SECTION 14(D)(1) OR 13(E)(1)
                     OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                        UNITED COMMUNITY FINANCIAL CORP.
                       (Name of Subject Company (Issuer))


                        UNITED COMMUNITY FINANCIAL CORP.
                       (Name of Filing Person, the Issuer)


                           COMMON STOCK, NO PAR VALUE
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                    909839102
                      (CUSIP Number of Class of Securities)


                           DOUGLAS M. MCKAY, PRESIDENT
                        UNITED COMMUNITY FINANCIAL CORP.
                             275 FEDERAL PLAZA WEST
                           YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO 44503-1203
                                 (330) 742-0500
                  (Name, address and telephone number of person
               authorized to receive notices and communications on
                            behalf of filing person)

                                 with a copy to:
                           TERRI REYERING ABARE, ESQ.
                       VORYS, SATER, SEYMOUR AND PEASE LLP
                             SUITE 2000, ATRIUM TWO
                             221 EAST FOURTH STREET
                             CINCINNATI, OHIO 45202
                                 (513) 723-4001

                            CALCULATION OF FILING FEE

          TRANSACTION VALUATION*                  AMOUNT OF FILING FEE:
                    N/A                                    N/A

* As the filing contains only preliminary communications made before the
commencement of the tender offer, no filing fee is required.

[ ] Check the box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Rule 011(a)(2)
and identify the filing with which the offsetting fee was previously paid.
Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or
Schedule and the date of its filing.

         Amount Previously Paid: N/A          Form or Registration Number: N/A
         Filing Party: N/A                    Date Filed: N/A

[X] Check the box if the filing relates solely to preliminary communications
made before the commencement of a tender offer.

Check the appropriate boxes below to designate any transactions to which the
statement relates:

[ ] third party tender offer subject to Rule 14d-1.

[X] issuer tender offer subject to Rule 13e-4.

[ ] going private transaction subject to Rule 13e-3.

[ ] amendment to Schedule 13D under Rule 13d-2.

Check the following box if the filing is a final amendment reporting the results
of a tender offer: [ ]




EXHIBITS:

99.1     Press release issued January 26, 2004.

EX-99.1

                                  EXHIBIT 99.1

                        UNITED COMMUNITY FINANCIAL CORP.
                             275 Federal Plaza West
                           Youngstown, Ohio 44503-1203


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


                                                              Patrick A. Kelly
                                                       Chief Financial Officer
                                                     (330) 742-0500, Ext. 2592

          UNITED COMMUNITY FINANCIAL CORP. ANNOUNCES SELF-TENDER OFFER


         January 26, 2004 - United Community Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: UCFC)
announced today that it will commence a self-tender offer on January 28, 2004
for up to 4,000,000 of its common shares, or approximately 11.7% of its
outstanding common shares.

         The tender offer will allow shareholders to tender their shares at a
price of $12.50 per share. If more than 4,000,000 shares are tendered, tendering
shareholders beneficially owning fewer than 100 shares will have their shares
purchased without proration. Other shares will be purchased pro rata. The offer
is, however, subject to other conditions as described in the Offer to Purchase.
The tender offer and withdrawal rights will expire at 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time,
on March 1, 2004, unless the offer is extended.

         UCFC is making this offer because management believes that, given the
current market price of the shares, the purchase of the shares on the terms and
conditions outlined in the Offer to Purchase is an attractive investment for
UCFC and will help it to utilize more effectively its capital base and maximize
shareholder value. This offer will provide liquidity to UCFC's shareholders by
giving them an opportunity to sell all or part of their investment in shares on
potentially more favorable terms than would otherwise be available in the
financial markets.

         Keefe, Bruyette & Woods will act as dealer manager and information
agent for the tender offer. Registrar and Transfer Company will serve as the
depositary.

         Each shareholder is urged to consult his or her tax advisor as to the
particular tax consequences of the tender offer to such shareholder. The full
details of the tender offer, including complete instructions on tendering
procedures, along with the transmittal forms and other data will be mailed to
shareholders beginning January 28, 2004.

         NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAKES ANY RECOMMENDATION
TO ANY SHAREHOLDER TO TENDER OR REFRAIN FROM TENDERING ANY OR ALL OF SUCH
SHAREHOLDER'S SHARES IN THE OFFER AND HAS NOT AUTHORIZED ANY PERSON TO MAKE ANY
SUCH RECOMMENDATION.




         This announcement is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of
an offer to sell common shares of United Community Financial Corp. The offer is
made solely by the Offer to Purchase, dated January 28, 2004 and the related
Letter of Transmittal.

United Community Financial Corp. is the holding company for The Home Savings and
Loan Company (Home Savings) and Butler Wick Corp. (Butler Wick), both
headquartered in Youngstown, Ohio. Home Savings operates 35 full-service banking
offices and 5 loan production offices located throughout Northern Ohio and
Western Pennsylvania. Butler Wick has 13 office locations providing full service
retail brokerage, capital markets and trust services through Ohio and Western
Pennsylvania. Additional information on United Community may be found on United
Community's web site: www.ucfconline.com.