Population 59,869 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Novato
Household size in Novato
| Period | Novato | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.53 | 2.74 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.55 | 2.79 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.52 | 2.83 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.62 | 2.75 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.08 | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Novato average 2.62 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is smaller than in the wider San Francisco area, where it has 2.75 people. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.53, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Novato
| Period | Novato | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.3 | 38.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.2 | 39.4 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.4 | 40.1 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.2 | 41.3 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.9 | +2.7 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Novato skews older: half of its residents are older than 48.2, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 43.3, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Novato
| Period | Novato | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 10.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.2% | 8.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Novato than nationally: 9.2%, against 11.6%. The San Francisco area as a whole looks much the same.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Novato
Renters in Novato
| Period | Novato | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.4% | 43.7% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.6% | 46.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.5% | 45.3% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.0% | 44.5% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly a third of households in Novato rent their homes (32.0%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in the San Francisco area as a whole (44.5%). Among homeowners, 34.4% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 2.6 points, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Novato
| Period | Novato | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 8.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.8% | 7.1% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 6.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Novato than nationally: 6.3%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The San Francisco area as a whole looks much the same. Vacancy is down 0.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Novato
| Period | Novato | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1964 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1974 | 1965 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1968 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +0 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Novato run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1975 against 1980. Even so, homes here are newer than in the San Francisco area overall, where the median home dates to 1968. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the center.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Novato
| Period | Novato | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,560 | $1,452 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,691 | $1,551 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,235 | $2,139 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,820 | $2,666 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,260 | +$1,214 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Novato costs $2,820 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,260 a month since 2006–10, up 81%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 36.4% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the west and lowest in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Novato
Bachelor's degrees in Novato
| Period | Novato | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.1% | 42.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 44.6% | 44.1% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.0% | 48.9% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 49.1% | 52.2% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.0 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Novato: 49.1% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Still, the share is lower than in the San Francisco area overall (52.2%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.0 points, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Novato
| Period | Novato | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.5% | 86.8% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.6% | 87.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.9% | 88.8% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.0% | 89.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Novato is close to the national rate: 89.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has fallen 2.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Novato
| Period | Novato | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 8.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 4.6% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 5.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Novato: 6.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. The San Francisco area as a whole looks much the same. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Novato compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novato | 2.62 | 48.2 | 9.2% | 32.0% | 6.3% | 1975 | $2,820 | 49.1% | 89.0% | 6.4% |
| Sleepy Hollow | 2.55 | 55.0 | 11.3% | 16.1% | 6.5% | 1960 | $3,187 | 74.2% | 98.0% | 7.6% |
| Nicasio | 2.68 | 46.4 | 1.7% | 18.5% | 9.9% | 1975 | $2,300 | 58.1% | 96.7% | 3.7% |
| Woodacre | 2.64 | 54.2 | 4.2% | 11.0% | 8.1% | 1956 | $2,374 | 65.2% | 94.3% | 2.6% |
| San Anselmo | 2.46 | 48.2 | 8.5% | 30.1% | 5.6% | 1954 | $3,050 | 69.7% | 98.0% | 7.5% |
| Fairfax | 2.32 | 48.3 | 7.2% | 29.7% | 5.8% | 1950 | $2,937 | 69.7% | 98.9% | 13.0% |
| San Rafael | 2.72 | 45.0 | 8.7% | 42.6% | 5.5% | 1967 | $2,567 | 49.5% | 84.8% | 5.3% |
| San Geronimo | 2.49 | 47.5 | 6.2% | 12.8% | 8.7% | 1968 | $2,316 | 85.0% | 97.7% | 0.3% |
| Lagunitas-Forest Knolls | 2.12 | 51.7 | 6.2% | 21.4% | 11.2% | 1962 | $2,365 | 68.8% | 97.0% | 1.8% |
| Forest Knolls | 2.09 | 52.2 | 5.3% | 22.7% | 11.9% | 1962 | $2,370 | 60.7% | 96.6% | 2.7% |
| Ross | 2.71 | 43.3 | 6.2% | 28.8% | 7.7% | 1954 | $2,875 | 78.3% | 99.3% | 3.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Reseda, CA · Altamonte Springs, FL · Mentor, OH · Meriden, CT · Monterey Park, CA · Newport Beach, CA · North Bergen, NJ · Novi, MI · Ormond Beach, FL · Panama City, FL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Novato. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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