Novato, CA Area Guide

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Photo of Novato, CA
( 11 Ratings )

Living in Novato, CA

Ranks better than 71% of areas Follow

Novato Area Facts

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Novato Reviews

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Where in the World is Novato, CA? User Rating 4.5 rating By Anonymous ( Jul 25, 2012) The city of Novato, California is located across the bay from San Francisco. It is in the county of Marin. This little bit of country is a quiet respite for people who work in San Francisco which is only 29 miles away. In Novato you will find beautiful rolling hills and magnifice ...Read More nt mountain vistas. Having lived here and commuted to the city; I can tell you that once you are on the road to San Francisco the rolling hills make the commute relaxing and a lot quicker than you think. For a weekend getaway or a "staycation" the Napa/Sonoma vineyards are only 20 miles away.

Novato is known for its small town charm but it is also home to Fireman's Fund Insurance Company and many small biotech and technology firms. Probably the name most recognized company is the Berkenstock Distribution USA. The city offers a wonderful Novato Farmers Market every Tuesday afternoon. The vegetables and fruits are mostly grown in the area surrounding the town. It is a great place to not only shop but also to meet up with friends and do an outdoor picnic. Just bring a bottle of your favorite wine and a blanket; all the food you will need is right there.

Novato was once the home of the Hamilton Air Force Base; after World War II it was decommissioned and has been under development since. Most of the barracks are now apartment and condo buildings. The huge Quonset buildings are now home to Bertenstocks and many other businesses.

The people of Novato are a very tight knit family and believe in taking care of each other. When a neighborhood project comes up everyone pitches in to help. Currently the town is offering engraved bricks to build a patio surrounding city hall. They had original had six thousand bricks available and now they have less than two thousand bricks to go until the patio will be completed. I purchased one for my family; so when you go to Novato look me up, I'm in space number four. Read Less
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Compare Novato, CA Livability

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      D Amenities

      Are there many local amenities in Novato? Yes, there are some amenities close to this location.

      Parks

      Lynwood Hill Park
      Lynwood Hill Park
      Hillside Park
      Slade Park
      Wallace Family Park
      Josef Hoog Park
      Arroyo Avichi Park
      Hill Recreation Area

      Entertainment

      Century Theaters Rowland Plaza
      Marin Museum of Contemporary Art
      Hamilton Theater
      Hamilton Field History Museum
      Marin Museum of the American Indian
      Dixie Schoolhouse

      Food & Drink

      In-N-Out Burger
      Jenny Low's
      Panera Bread
      See's Candies
      Tuttimelon
      Extreme Pizza
      BevMo!
      Taco Bell

      A+ Commute

      Is public transit available in Novato? Of all people who commute, 6.4% take public transportation in Novato.
      Drive to Work
      70%

      7% lower than the US average

      Take Public Transit
      6%

      1% higher than the US average

      Walk to Work
      2%

      equal to the US average

      F Cost of Living

      What is the cost of living in Novato? The cost of living in Novato is 197/100 - which is 41% higher than California.
      Novato
      197

      97% more expensive than average

      California
      140

      40% more expensive than average

      United States
      100

      National cost of living index

      B Crime

      What is the crime rate in Novato? Novato crime rates are 1,995, which are 30% lower than California
      Total Crime
      1,995 per 100k people

      13% lower than the US average

      Chance of being a victim
      1 in 51

      13% lower than the US average

      Year-over-year crime
      7%

      Year over year crime is up

      A+ Employment

      What is the median income in Novato? The median income in Novato is $101,629 which is 59% higher than California.
      Median household income
      $101,62984% higher than the US average
      Income per capita
      $55,81387% higher than the US average
      Unemployment rate
      3%

      43% lower than the US average

      C- Health & Safety

      Is Novato a healthy and safe place to live? Yes, there are some hospitals, police and fire stations.

      Hospitals

      Novato Community Hospital

      Pharmacies

      CVS Pharmacy
      Safeway
      Golden Gate Veterinary Compounding Pharmacy

      Doctors

      C+ Housing

      What are Novato home prices? Novato home prices are $804,900 - which is 97% higher than California
      Median home value
      $804,900336% higher than the US average
      Median rent price
      $1,975108% higher than the US average
      Home Ownership
      70%

      10% higher than the US average

      C+ Schools

      Does Novato have good schools? The Novato graduation rate is 92% - which is 15% higher than California
      High school grad. rates
      92%

      11% higher than the US average

      School test scores
      49%

      3% higher than the US average

      Student teacher ratio
      21:1

      30% higher than the US average

      A+ User Ratings

      Is Novato a good place to live? Novato has an overall rating of 85% from 11 reviews.
      Overall user rating
      85%

      11 total ratings

      User reviews rating
      90%

      1 total reviews

      User surveys rating
      72%

      10 total surveys

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