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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

Novato

California · 47,630 residents · 27.4 sq mi
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The short version

Novato is home to 47,630 people in California. The typical home is worth $364,800. Median rent is $1,146 a month. This is an unusually credentialed place: 37% of adults have a four-year degree. That is roughly 34% ahead of the California median. The median age is 39.6, about 4 years above the US median.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 39.6
US median: 35.2
More educated
37% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
47,630
Unchangedsince 1990
from 47,585 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
39.6
+15%since 1990
from 34.4 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
27.4 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
47K49K52K54K56K19902000201020202024Novato
202453K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55.9%(2,802)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96.5%(3,115)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.8%(3,243)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 195.8%(2,770)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 244.5%(2,124)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.6%(5,984)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4417.4%(8,278)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5416.9%(8,035)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 6410.7%(5,085)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 746.6%(3,122)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 844.6%(2,212)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.8%(860)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$63,453
+5%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $45,890 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$32,402
+51%since 1990
from $21,518 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
5.6%
+1.4 ptssince 1990
from 4.2% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$364,800
−1%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $278,800 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,146
+6%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $818 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
67.6%
+5.7 ptssince 1990
from 61.9% in 1990
32.4% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

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

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
37.0%
+5.2 ptssince 1990
from 31.8% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
90.5%
−1.2 ptssince 1990
from 91.7% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
12.2%
+2.0 ptssince 1990
from 10.2% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
27.5 min
−5%since 1990
from 28.8 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married27.4%(4,960)
Married60.7%(10,995)
Widowed2.6%(471)
Divorced9.2%(1,674)
Women 15+
Never married21.9%(4,435)
Married52.8%(10,722)
Widowed10.6%(2,146)
Divorced14.7%(2,988)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
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+174%
Home value$1,576,700+332%
Population12,555−76%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NOVATO VS
San Rafael
Income$119,435+88%
Home value$1,355,600+272%
Population59,410+14%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NOVATO VS
Larkspur
Income$140,417+121%
Home value$1,996,600+447%
Population12,620−76%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NOVATO VS
Corte Madera
Income$232,763+267%
Home value$1,755,200+381%
Population9,929−81%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Novato, California?

Novato, California has about 47,630 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Novato, California?

The typical household in Novato, California earns about $63,453 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 $364,800, and the typical rent is about $1,146 a month.

How educated are people in Novato, California?

About 37.0% 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 5.6% of people in Novato, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has Novato, California grown since 1990?

Yes, Novato, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 45 residents, a change of about 0 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →