Kokomo, IN — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Indiana·Kokomo

Howard County · Kokomo · population 60,093

AffordabilityInvestors
Kokomo, IN
Image: Wikipedia · Kokomo, Indiana
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
73
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Kokomo stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 5.7% in the last year. averaging 7.8% annual growth over 5 years.

Median home $182,709
1-year +5.7%
5-yr CAGR +7.8%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.2%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$183k$79k$116k$153k$190k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
40/100
Car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
85/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,001/mo$0$531$1,061202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent14515480100120140202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 15.2
Lean buy

At a 15.2 price-to-rent ratio, Kokomo is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
77 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
78 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
49 · w16%
Rent YoY
60 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
81 · w10%
Long thesis

Kokomo has averaged 7.8% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+5.7% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.

Short thesis

Kokomo's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Kokomo

Kokomo is a city in Howard County, Indiana, with an estimated population of 60,093. The median home value in Kokomo is $182,709 as of 2026-04, up 5.7% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +7.8% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Kokomo average $1,001 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.2%). The composite momentum score is 73 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Affordable AND rising: median home $182,709 with positive recent direction — rare combination most of the country can’t offer.
●Healthy 5-year run: +7.8% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +5.7% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Kokomo (Wikipedia)

Kokomo is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2020 census, Kokomo had a population of 59,604. It is the principal city of the Kokomo metropolitan area, which includes all of Howard County, and it is the largest city and regional center for the North Central Indiana region consisting of ~225,000 people across six counties anchored by the city of Kokomo. The city is located approximately 60 miles (97 km) north of Indianapolis and 85 miles (137 km) south of South Bend, Indiana.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorTyler Moore (R)
Area36.79 sq mi
Elevation820 population_total = 59,604 ft
Established1855
NicknameCity of Firsts
Densityauto/sq mi
Named forMa-Ko-Ko-Mo

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Howard County right now.

NWS active alerts (IN)Indiana Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Howard County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Kokomo

1 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Fairlawn$111,964+1.7%

Cities like Kokomo

Richmond, IN74 · RisingSouth Bend, IN76 · RisingElkhart, IN74 · RisingYorktown, IN76 · Rising

Run the numbers for Kokomo

ToolCan I afford Kokomo?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Kokomo rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Kokomo to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolKokomo cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
35° / 19°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
85° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
186
~51% of year
Annual precip
42″ rain
20″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Kokomo listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Kokomo area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
72%
Humid climate
Median household income
$67,200
Indiana state median
Top industries (state-level)
Manufacturing (auto)HealthcareLogistics

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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