Kokomo vs West Lafayette
Kokomo, Indiana versus West Lafayette, Indiana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Kokomo and West Lafayette score about the same overall (51 vs 51 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Kokomo | West Lafayette |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $54k | $30k |
| Cost of Living | $42k | $43k |
| Home Value | $118k | $303k |
| Monthly Rent | $856 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $991 | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.76% | 0.88% |
| Income Tax | 5.05% | 5.20% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.02% | 16.36% |
| Unemployment | 6.1% | 3.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 28°F | 26°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.4 in | 42.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 34.1 in | 18.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 168 days | 168 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 92 days | 102 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 47.4 | 47.7 |
| Air Quality | 49 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 82.3 | 44.9 |
| Violent Crime | 1703/100k | 704/100k |
| Property Crime | 1547/100k | 1020/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 59,534 | 44,861 |
| Median Age | 39.8 | 21.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.31 | 0.48 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.89 | 1.24 |
| Political Leaning | R+33 | Even |
| White (%) | 79.6% | 66.5% |
| Black (%) | 10.3% | 3.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.3% | 4.9% |
| Asian (%) | 1.6% | 21.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.2% | 3.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 15 min |
| Walkability | 9.3/20 | 14.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 53 mi | 60 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.8% | 88.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 12.09 | 52.38 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Kokomo or West Lafayette more affordable?
- Kokomo has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with Kokomo's $42k and West Lafayette's $43k. Median rent is $856 in Kokomo versus $1k in West Lafayette.
- Is Kokomo or West Lafayette safer?
- West Lafayette has the lower violent crime rate. Kokomo reports 1703/100k and West Lafayette reports 704/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Kokomo or West Lafayette?
- The median home value is $118k in Kokomo and $303k in West Lafayette, so homes are more affordable in Kokomo.