Novato, CA

Census place 0652582 · pop 52,546

D51/ 100
😐 Meh
B
in CA
📍 California ranks #49 of 50 states →
🏆 Obesity22.4% · top 3%
🚽 Rent$3,839/mo · bottom 3%
Taxes
0.78% property · US 0.99%8.99% sales · US 7.00%up to 13.30% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Rent$3,839/mo3

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$3,839/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Housing cost$1,032,5003

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$1,032,500 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Population growth (5yr)-5.6%7

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-5.6% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Commute time28 min24

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

28 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Income inequality0.4725

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.47 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Natural disaster riskCounty-level96/10027

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

96/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Violent crime rate259/100k40

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

259 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Property crime rate1426/100k45

U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities

1426 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.7%47

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

3.7% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Homeownership66.1%56

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

66.1% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Poverty rate9.6%59

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

9.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Property-tax burden0.78%65

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.78% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Uninsured adults7.3%73

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

7.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Broadband access94.7%76

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

94.7% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Physical inactivity20.2%77

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

20.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Poor mental health15.1%77

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

15.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Bachelor's degree or higher48.9%81

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

48.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Adult smoking9.5%83

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

9.5% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Median household income$115,73685

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$115,736 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Air quality (AQI)County-level28 AQI95

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

28 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Adult obesity22.4%97

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

22.4% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Frequently asked

Is Novato, CA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Novato scores 51/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is adult obesity and its weakest is rent. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Novato, CA?
Novato reports 259 violent crimes per 100k and 1426 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Novato, CA expensive to live in?
Novato has a median home value of $1,032,500 and typical rent around $3,839/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Novato, CA?
Its weakest measured area is rent ($3,839/mo) — 3/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Novato, CA best at?
Its strongest measured area is adult obesity (22.4%) — 97/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.