94945 and 94949 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
94945
94949
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 45%
vs53 · Bottom 47%
Growth
15 · Bottom 4%
vs15 · Bottom 4%
Climate
81 · Top 15%
vs81 · Top 15%
Physical resilience
33 · Bottom 26%
vs33 · Bottom 26%
Housing affordability
37 · Bottom 5%
vs33 · Bottom 3%
Access
85 · Bottom 28%
vs88 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
65 · Top 41%
vs58 · Bottom 47%
Measured values
| Metric | 94945 | 94949 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,635 | 17,787 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $107,790 | $120,758 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $67,050 | $72,931 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 765/sq mi | 1,328/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,124,100 | $1,150,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,326 | $2,760 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.4% | 63.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.1% | 50.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 10.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 5 | 5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.7% | -16.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 20.2" | 20.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 33 mi | 28 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.1 min | 31.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 49.6 | 47.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.16 | 21.66 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 36.6% | 57.1% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
94945
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, coastal flooding, inland flooding.
94949
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, coastal flooding, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 94945 — Novato, CA · 94949 — Novato, CA · How this is calculated: methodology