Jobs, pay and daily life in Kokomo, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Kokomo is a city in Indiana with 59,122 residents. The median household earns $55,360 a year and the median rent is $939 a month, which is 20.4% of the median household income. It is part of the Kokomo, IN metropolitan area, where BLS counts 35,500 jobs.
How Kokomo compares. Among the 80 largest places in Indiana, Kokomo is #14 by population, #64 for remote work (#1 = most), #62 for college degrees (#1 = most), #22 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Howard County, is #8 of 92 counties for average pay ($62,420).
Kokomo has 59,122 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.9% of the population of Indiana. It covers 37 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,612 people per square mile. The median age is 39.4, 3% older than the state median (39.4 against 38.1).
The median gross rent is $939 a month (rent plus utilities), 12% below the state median ($939 against $1,062). Over a year that is 20.4% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $137,400, which is 2.5 times the median household income ($55,360); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 63.0% of households own their home, 11% below the state average (63.0% against 70.5%).
The Kokomo, IN metropolitan area has 35,500 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $48,980 a year, 4% below the national median ($48,980 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (5,830 jobs, median $75,930); food preparation and serving related (4,050 jobs, median $29,540); sales and related (3,350 jobs, median $33,940). The area is most specialised in production (3.0 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are production ($75,930). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Howard County was 4.6%. 57.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Howard County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 80.1% drive alone, 0.4% use public transit, 1.4% walk, 5.5% work from home. 12.6% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, about the same as the state average (12.6% against 12.7%).
18.1% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 39% below the state share (18.1% against 29.5%). 2.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 61% below the state share (2.5% against 6.3%). The poverty rate is 17.1%, 38% above the state rate (17.1% against 12.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 74°F (23.3°C), and the coolest is Jan at 26°F (-3.6°C). About 1,065 mm (42 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (126 mm) and Feb the driest (62 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Peru (21 miles, rent 12% lower); Logansport (23 miles, rent 16% lower); Frankfort (24 miles, rent 4% lower); Marion (25 miles, rent 14% lower). Rent differences are against Kokomo; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Indiana (770) →State guide: IndianaCountry guideHoward CountyIndiana rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 770 federal postings open in Indiana (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Indiana →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,540 | 1.75 | $29,130 | $22,310 | $36,030 | -7% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,290 | 1.45 | $31,580 | $23,230 | $47,510 | -11% |
| Cashiers | 980 | 1.39 | $29,570 | $21,980 | $36,520 | -10% |
| Registered Nurses | 740 | 0.96 | $83,370 | $69,420 | $101,510 | -15% |
| Electricians | 730 | 4.20 | $91,290 | $54,450 | $98,720 | +44% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 710 | 0.73 | $35,650 | $30,150 | $37,530 | -0% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 690 | 1.33 | $28,420 | $18,240 | $47,780 | -19% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 600 | 0.93 | $33,050 | $29,690 | $39,170 | -11% |
| Office Clerks, General | 600 | 1.07 | $41,820 | $28,550 | $62,330 | -7% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 550 | 0.82 | $39,040 | $31,150 | $50,620 | -3% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 530 | 1.06 | $36,400 | $28,870 | $47,040 | -1% |
| Nursing Assistants | 460 | 1.38 | $38,250 | $35,600 | $44,910 | -9% |
| General and Operations Managers | 450 | 0.57 | $97,930 | $48,060 | $210,810 | -7% |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | 400 | 3.77 | $91,470 | $50,430 | $96,660 | +43% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 390 | 0.82 | $58,370 | $40,120 | $74,990 | -0% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 370 | 1.15 | $35,300 | $26,980 | $42,720 | -6% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 340 | 0.57 | $38,380 | $30,960 | $55,280 | -14% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 320 | 1.15 | $46,550 | $31,740 | $67,550 | +6% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 300 | 0.91 | $30,440 | $23,740 | $39,560 | -17% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 300 | 1.18 | $47,970 | $32,340 | $72,620 | -1% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 730 | 4.20 | $91,290 | $54,450 | $98,720 | +44% |
| Registered Nurses | 740 | 0.96 | $83,370 | $69,420 | $101,510 | -15% |
| Office Clerks, General | 600 | 1.07 | $41,820 | $28,550 | $62,330 | -7% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 550 | 0.82 | $39,040 | $31,150 | $50,620 | -3% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 530 | 1.06 | $36,400 | $28,870 | $47,040 | -1% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 710 | 0.73 | $35,650 | $30,150 | $37,530 | -0% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 600 | 0.93 | $33,050 | $29,690 | $39,170 | -11% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,290 | 1.45 | $31,580 | $23,230 | $47,510 | -11% |
| Cashiers | 980 | 1.39 | $29,570 | $21,980 | $36,520 | -10% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,540 | 1.75 | $29,130 | $22,310 | $36,030 | -7% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 690 | 1.33 | $28,420 | $18,240 | $47,780 | -19% |
These figures are for the whole Kokomo, IN metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $48,980 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.6% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 24.4% |
| Education and health care | 22.6% |
| Retail trade | 12.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.1% |
| Other services | 6.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.9% |
| Construction | 4.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.1% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.4% |
| Public administration | 2.8% |
| Information | 1.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.7% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Kokomo lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard County | 83,752 | $5,497 million | $65,638 | 35,758 | 1,913 | $62,420 | +2.1% | 4.6% | 35,435 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 9,047 | 28.9% | $108,112 | 3.08 |
| Health care and social assistance | 5,561 | 17.7% | $55,384 | 1.08 |
| Retail trade | 4,408 | 14.1% | $32,380 | 1.23 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,137 | 13.2% | $19,967 | 1.27 |
| Construction | 1,961 | 6.3% | $84,357 | 1.04 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,227 | 3.9% | $31,097 | 1.14 |
| Administrative and waste services | 836 | 2.7% | $40,499 | 0.40 |
| Finance and insurance | 802 | 2.6% | $73,279 | 0.55 |
| Wholesale trade | 797 | 2.5% | $81,383 | 0.57 |
| Professional and technical services | 783 | 2.5% | $70,586 | 0.31 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 739 | 2.4% | $62,300 | 0.49 |
| Real estate and rental | 296 | 0.9% | $45,922 | 0.53 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 247 | 0.8% | $19,402 | 0.41 |
| Information | 181 | 0.6% | $59,399 | 0.27 |
| Educational services | 168 | 0.5% | $28,960 | 0.23 |
| Utilities | 127 | 0.4% | $105,015 | 0.93 |
| Management of companies | 19 | 0.1% | $64,661 | 0.03 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 80.1% |
| Public transit | 0.4% |
| Walk | 1.4% |
| Work from home | 5.5% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 12.6% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,360 |
| Income per person | $32,594 |
| Median gross rent per month | $939 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.4% |
| Median home value | $137,400 |
| Homeowners | 63.0% |
| Poverty rate | 17.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 89.6 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $48,980 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 2.95%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 39.4 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 89.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 18.1% |
| Born abroad | 2.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 57.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -3.6 | 26 | 68 |
| Feb | -2.1 | 28 | 62 |
| Mar | 4.0 | 39 | 77 |
| Apr | 10.6 | 51 | 101 |
| May | 16.5 | 62 | 113 |
| Jun | 21.5 | 71 | 126 |
| Jul | 23.3 | 74 | 106 |
| Aug | 22.6 | 73 | 101 |
| Sep | 19.0 | 66 | 78 |
| Oct | 11.8 | 53 | 84 |
| Nov | 4.9 | 41 | 76 |
| Dec | -0.8 | 31 | 73 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peru | IN | 21 mi | 10,901 | $46,159 | $826 |
| Logansport | IN | 23 mi | 17,790 | $47,291 | $786 |
| Frankfort | IN | 24 mi | 15,917 | $57,412 | $898 |
| Marion | IN | 25 mi | 27,531 | $43,343 | $805 |
| Westfield | IN | 30 mi | 54,677 | $122,789 | $1,667 |
| Noblesville | IN | 30 mi | 73,362 | $104,047 | $1,389 |
| Zionsville | IN | 34 mi | 32,095 | $172,024 | $1,792 |
| Lebanon | IN | 34 mi | 17,812 | $65,154 | $962 |
| Carmel | IN | 34 mi | 101,651 | $141,505 | $1,712 |
| Anderson | IN | 35 mi | 55,367 | $46,909 | $925 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
59,122 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$939 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.4% of the median household income.
$55,360 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.6% (BLS county, Howard County (latest month 2026M09)).
Indiana. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.