Despite the population decline currently being experienced by cities throughout central Indiana, recently released U.S. Census data concludes that Kokomo has gained 230 residents during the period from 2010 to 2014 – a number that leads Howard and all adjacent counties.
These latest estimates place Kokomo’s population at 57,085, which is a total Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight hopes will continue to grow beyond 2015.
“Nothing happens by accident,” Goodnight said. “The population growth takes effort from a lot of elected and nonelected leaders, including area business leaders and school superintendents. It takes a lot of people to make many of the right decisions.”
Most important for Goodnight - who credited the city’s quality of life projects and “downsizing government” for the population growth – is the fact Kokomo was projected to lose residents.
“The fact that we are growing is a very good sign,” he said. “We would like to grow faster, but the fact that we are growing is a good thing for the community.”
In a press release, city officials also credited Kokomo’s newest housing developments as being “positive indicators of the city’s growth.”
Included in the projects are The Lofts at Union Street, a 35-unit apartment community expected to open later this summer, and the Apperson Way apartments, a $9.5 million, 69-unit apartment complex in Kokomo’s near eastside neighborhood expected to begin construction this fall.
In addition to the influx of apartment construction, 109 new homes were built in 2014, according to city officials.
“It is a pretty simple formula, including a safe community, good public schools and strong amenities,” said Goodnight. “Just take a look at both our parks and our trail systems and the focus we have had the last two years on cleaning up blighted areas.”