Moving to Kokomo: Pros, Cons & What to Know
Moving to Kokomo means moving to a real, historic manufacturing city currently mid-transition -- three active Stellantis plants, a genuine automotive-history legacy, and some of the more affordable housing in this dataset.
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Learn moreA real, current Stellantis manufacturing hub
Three real Stellantis plants operate in Kokomo, part of a real $13 billion multi-state investment plan, including a disclosed $100 million commitment to build the new GMET4 EVO engine starting in 2026 and a separate $250 million U.S. Department of Energy grant converting a Kokomo transmission plant to build EV drive modules.
A genuine "City of Firsts" history
Kokomo inventor Elwood Haynes drove an early automobile around the city on July 4, 1894 -- a claim genuinely contested by the Duryea brothers' earlier 1893 Massachusetts test -- and unambiguously invented stainless steel in 1912, both commemorated at Kokomo's Elwood Haynes Museum.
Genuinely affordable housing
Kokomo's average home value ran $185,001 as of May 2026 (Zillow), up 5.4% year-over-year -- genuinely below the national median, paired with a low 0.86% effective property tax rate.
A real, disclosed local income tax layer
Howard County's local income tax rose to a real 2.35% effective January 1, 2026, combining with Indiana's flat 2.95% state rate for a disclosed 5.30% combined rate -- higher than the state's headline number alone.
Key takeaways
- Three real Stellantis plants anchor Kokomo's current, active manufacturing-investment story.
- Kokomo's "City of Firsts" identity rests on Elwood Haynes's real, if partly contested, automotive history and unambiguous stainless-steel invention.
- Average home value ($185,001) runs genuinely below the national median.
- Howard County's 2.35% local income tax layer (2026) combines with the state's 2.95% rate for 5.30% combined.
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