Places › Indiana › Kokomo

Living in Kokomo, IN

Small city in Indiana

Kokomo is a small city in Indiana, home to about 59,000 people, with 342,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, a car is essential. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly houses.

Is Kokomo a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $186k and rents for $1,390 a month
  • Dog-friendly: 5 dog parks within 9 mi
  • Mild summers: highs around 82°F
  • Low natural disaster risk: 4 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Fewer graduates: 17% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
  • Smaller job market: about 342,000 people live within 31 mi

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Kokomo ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
59,000
342,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
36°F / 82°F
Average daily highs · 34″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$186k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,390/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
90
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,275
State income tax per resident · 0.78% property tax
Safety
1.8× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
4 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, tornadoes
Top-rated hospitals
4
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
17%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
IND
52 mi away

Living in Kokomo: common questions

What is the cost of living in Kokomo?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $186k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,390 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 90, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Kokomo?

Indiana collects about $1,275 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.78% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Kokomo safe?

Violent crime is well above the national rate (1.8× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Kokomo?

Kokomo has cold winters: winter days average around 36°F and summer days around 82°F, with roughly 34″ of snow a year.

Does Kokomo get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, tornadoes and cold waves: 4 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.61 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Kokomo?

The nearest major airport is IND, about 52 mi away.

How Kokomo scores

Each bar compares Kokomo with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Quiet / rural Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Car essential Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Slow & calm Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Some community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Good
💼Job market Poor
🏥Healthcare Good
🎓Education Poor
🧸Kids & family Below average
🐕Dog-friendly Excellent
⛰️Outdoors Poor
🎭Culture Poor
🛡️Safety Moderate crime
🌪️Few natural disasters Excellent
☀️Sunny Below average
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Average

Places like Kokomo

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 23 aspects.

Nearby

See all the best places to live in Indiana.

Is Kokomo right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.