Kokomo, Indiana

Kokomo, Indiana
Clockwise from top: Downtown Kokomo from Civic Center Tower, Seiberling Mansion, downtown art work, corner of Walnut and Main Street downtown
Official seal of Kokomo, Indiana
Nickname: 
City of Firsts
Location of Kokomo in Howard County, Indiana
Location of Kokomo in Howard County, Indiana
Kokomo is located in Indiana
Kokomo
Kokomo
Kokomo is located in the United States
Kokomo
Kokomo
Coordinates: 40°28′56″N 86°7′54″W / 40.48222°N 86.13167°W / 40.48222; -86.13167
CountryUnited States
StateIndiana
CountyHoward
Named forMa-Ko-Ko-Mo
Government
 • TypeMayor-council government
 • MayorTyler Moore (R)[1]
Area
 • Total36.79 sq mi (95.29 km2)
 • Land36.68 sq mi (95.00 km2)
 • Water0.11 sq mi (0.29 km2)
Elevation820 ft (250 m)
Population
 • Total45,468
 • Estimate 
(2020)[5]
59,604
 • Density1,581.75/sq mi (610.72/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
46901-46904
Area code765
FIPS code18-40392
GNIS ID2395560[3]
Websitecityofkokomo.org

Kokomo (/ˈkkəm/ KOH-kə-moh) is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Indiana, United States.[3] Its population was 59,604 at the 2020 census. 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.[6] The city is located approximately 60 miles (97 km) north of Indianapolis and 85 miles (137 km) south of South Bend, Indiana.

Named for the Miami Ma-Ko-Ko-Mo who was called "Chief Kokomo",[7] Kokomo first benefited from the legal business associated with being the county seat. Before the Civil War, it was connected with Indianapolis and then the Eastern cities by railroad, which resulted in sustained growth. Substantial growth came after the discovery of large natural gas reserves, which produced an economic boom in the mid-1880s. Among the businesses which the boom attracted was the fledgling automobile industry. A significant number of technical and engineering innovations were developed in Kokomo, particularly in automobile production, and, as a result, Kokomo became known as the "City of Firsts." A substantial portion of Kokomo's employment still depends on the automobile industry.

  1. ^ Juranovich, Tyler (January 2, 2024). "Elected officials sworn in". Kokomo Tribune.
  2. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Kokomo, Indiana
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference wwwcensusgov was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  6. ^ "Home". ncirpc.com. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  7. ^ "A Look Back as We Move Forward". The Kokomo Tribune. March 28, 1999. p. 58. Retrieved August 16, 2014 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon