The Town FilesNovato, California
City in Marin County · population 53,225 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,032,500
- Household income
- $115,736
- Jan low / Jul high
- 43° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 47.5
Novato is a city of 53,225 people in Marin County, California. The median home is worth $1,032,500, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more seaside character than 88% of California towns, hipper than 80% of California towns, better transit than 80% of California towns.
How Novato ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Novato is worth $1,032,500, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.9 times the median household income of $115,736, which is more affordable than 16% of California towns. Median rent is $2,506 a month. 66.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Novato | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,032,500 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,506 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $115,736 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.9× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 66.1% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Novato
| People | Novato | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.0% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 23.7% | — |
| Work from home | 19.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 28.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.7% | 93.3% |
Weather in Novato
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 42.6°F. About 34.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 3 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Novato since 1950.
Severe weather in Marin County since 1996
Marin County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3428: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Marin County
Marin County had 110,934 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $93,552 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Novato itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Public schools in Novato
16 public schools with 7,425 students, about 21.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novato High | 9-12 | 1,393 | 21.8 |
| San Marin High | 9-12 | 1,186 | 21.2 |
| Sinaloa Middle | 6-8 | 752 | 22.1 |
| Hamilton TK-8 | K-8 | 522 | 20.9 |
| San Jose Middle | 6-8 | 516 | 19.8 |
| Pleasant Valley Elementary | K-5 | 458 | 24.1 |
| San Ramon Elementary | K-5 | 441 | 23.2 |
| Loma Verde Elementary | K-5 | 414 | 23.0 |
| Olive Elementary | K-5 | 362 | 22.6 |
| Lu Sutton Elementary | K-5 | 349 | 23.3 |
| Rancho Elementary | K-5 | 349 | 23.3 |
| Novato Charter (charter) | K-8 | 266 | 26.6 |
Towns near Novato
- Lucas Valley-Marinwood, CA3.4 mi · 6,259 people · home $1,445,600
- Santa Venetia, CA6.0 mi · 4,289 people · home $1,006,300
- Fairfax, CA7.1 mi · 7,605 people · home $1,163,600
- San Anselmo, CA7.2 mi · 12,830 people · home $1,576,700
- San Rafael, CA7.5 mi · 61,271 people · home $1,355,600
- Larkspur, CA10.0 mi · 13,064 people · home $1,996,600
- Kentfield, CA10.3 mi · 6,808 people · home $2,000,001
- Corte Madera, CA10.8 mi · 10,222 people · home $1,755,200
Novato questions
Is Novato, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Novato scores better for retirees than 72% of California towns and quieter than 50%. 24.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.5).
How much does a house cost in Novato?
The median owner-occupied home in Novato is valued at $1,032,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $115,736, so homes cost about 8.9 times income. Median rent is $2,506 a month.
What is the weather like in Novato?
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 42.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Novato get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Novato in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)