Salary comparison
Industrial Machinery Mechanics: Duluth vs Kokomo
Kokomo, IN pays about 9.7% more for industrial machinery mechanics on paper — $91,470 vs $83,380. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Kokomo comes out ahead by $8,090 a year in real buying power.
Duluth, MN
$83,380
$81,310
$83,510
$40.09
100
$83,380/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Kokomo, IN
$91,470
$62,790
$91,470
$43.98
100
$91,470/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $8,090 a year (9.7%) in favor of Kokomo. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Duluth runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Kokomo sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Kokomo is the better deal by $8,090 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Duluth to Kokomo for this role, the raise needs to beat 9.7% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do industrial machinery mechanics earn more, Duluth or Kokomo?
Kokomo pays $91,470 on median — about 9.7% more than Duluth ($83,380). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Kokomo. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Kokomo gives you roughly$91,470 of real buying power versus $83,380 in the other city.