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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Novato

California · 47,585 residents · 27.4 sq mi
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The short version

Novato is a city of 47,585 people in California. The typical home is worth $278,800. Renters pay $818 a month at the median. About 32% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The median household earns $45,890, about 52% above the national median. Households here earn about 28% more than in California as a whole.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 34.4
US median: 33.0
More educated
32% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
47,585
Unchangedvs 2000
vs 47,630 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
34.4
−13%vs 2000
vs 39.6 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
27.4 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
47K49K52K54K56K19902000201020202024Novato
202453K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 57.7%(3,645)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 97%(3,320)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.8%(3,215)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 195.5%(2,594)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.6%(3,143)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3417.8%(8,452)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4418.4%(8,775)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5412.5%(5,960)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 648.1%(3,847)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 746.5%(3,079)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 842.6%(1,249)
US avg: 4%
85 and over0.6%(306)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$45,890
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $63,453 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$21,518
−34%vs 2000
vs $32,402 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
4.2%
−1.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 5.6% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$278,800
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $364,800 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$818
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $1,146 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
61.9%
−5.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 67.6% in 2000
38.1% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic76.3%(36,336)
Black1.9%(893)
Hispanic / Latino13.1%(6,229)
Asian5.1%(2,442)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic89.9%(42,762)
Black2.7%(1,274)
Hispanic / Latino7.4%(3,537)
Asian5%(2,362)
Other2.5%(1,187)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican12%(6,316)
Central American10.6%(5,555)
Guatemalan6.8%(3,589)
South American2.8%(1,482)
Salvadoran2.6%(1,348)
Peruvian1.6%(864)
Nicaraguan0.9%(488)
Colombian0.5%(272)
Dominican0.4%(222)
Spaniard0.3%(181)
Uruguayan0.3%(159)
Puerto Rican0.2%(119)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Cuban0.2%(107)
Argentine0.2%(91)
Honduran0.1%(78)
Panamanian0.1%(48)
Venezuelan0.1%(38)
Ecuadorian0.1%(27)
Chilean0%(17)
Asian origin
Chinese2.7%(1,420)
Filipino1.1%(558)
Vietnamese0.9%(473)
Japanese0.5%(275)
Asian Indian0.5%(238)
Cambodian0.2%(117)
Korean0.2%(95)
Indonesian0.2%(88)
Nepalese0.1%(51)
Laotian0.1%(48)
Thai0.1%(41)
Taiwanese0%(25)
+ 1 more asian origin group with data
Malaysian0%(13)
Pacific Islander origin
Fijian0.2%(109)
Ancestry
Irish13.7%(7,190)
English12.4%(6,536)
German11%(5,767)
Italian7.1%(3,739)
Scottish2.5%(1,310)
Polish2.3%(1,209)
French2.2%(1,180)
Swedish2.1%(1,121)
Russian2%(1,035)
Portuguese1.8%(935)
American1.6%(845)
Norwegian1.4%(755)
+ 40 more ancestry groups with data
Arab1.2%(613)
Brazilian1.1%(563)
Iranian1%(540)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(497)
Swiss0.9%(450)
Austrian0.9%(448)
Dutch0.8%(406)
Ukrainian0.7%(371)
Greek0.6%(332)
Lebanese0.6%(330)
British0.6%(295)
Danish0.5%(255)
Welsh0.4%(216)
Hungarian0.4%(204)
West Indian0.4%(185)
Canadian0.3%(175)
Jamaican0.3%(145)
Czech0.3%(133)
Croatian0.2%(129)
Ethiopian0.2%(120)
Finnish0.2%(99)
Lithuanian0.2%(84)
Turkish0.2%(84)
Romanian0.2%(81)
Syrian0.1%(69)
Slovene0.1%(65)
Armenian0.1%(58)
Slovak0.1%(52)
Moroccan0.1%(51)
Belgian0.1%(51)
Bulgarian0.1%(43)
Australian0.1%(36)
Latvian0%(24)
Nigerian0%(24)
Israeli0%(18)
Haitian0%(18)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
31.8%
−5.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 37.0% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
91.7%
+1.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 90.5% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
10.2%
−2.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 12.2% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
28.8 min
+5%vs 2000
vs 27.5 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married35.2%(7,757)
Married56.2%(12,376)
Widowed2.7%(588)
Divorced6%(1,311)
Women 15+
Never married27.9%(6,082)
Married52.2%(11,367)
Widowed7.5%(1,626)
Divorced12.5%(2,716)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
4.9%
−4.8 ptssince 2013
from 9.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
58.1%
−3.0 ptssince 2020
from 61.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
17.9%
−2.5 ptssince 2020
from 20.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
24.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 24.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
18.2%
+3.2 ptssince 2020
from 15.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.3%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 1.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
73.0%
−5.7 ptssince 2020
from 78.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
39.4%
+2.7 ptssince 2020
from 36.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)10.8%(246)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)17.3%(394)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era46.4%(1,057)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War12.5%(285)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II3.6%(81)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,279 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Novato to nearby cities

NOVATO VS
San Anselmo
Income$173,641+278%
Home value$1,576,700+466%
Population12,555−76%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NOVATO VS
San Rafael
Income$119,435+160%
Home value$1,355,600+386%
Population59,410+14%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NOVATO VS
Larkspur
Income$140,417+206%
Home value$1,996,600+616%
Population12,620−76%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NOVATO VS
Corte Madera
Income$232,763+407%
Home value$1,755,200+530%
Population9,929−81%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Novato, California?

Novato, California has about 47,585 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Novato, California?

The typical household in Novato, California earns about $45,890 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Novato, California expensive?

In Novato, California, the median home is worth about $278,800, and the typical rent is about $818 a month.

How educated are people in Novato, California?

About 31.8% of adults age 25 and over in Novato, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Novato, California?

About 4.2% of people in Novato, California live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →