Signals
Novato
Live Oak
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 40%
vs46 · Bottom 29%
Climate
81 · Top 15%
vs81 · Top 15%
Physical resilience
33 · Bottom 26%
vs24 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
37 · Bottom 3%
vs32 · Bottom 2%
Access
86 · Bottom 32%
vs88 · Bottom 36%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 48%
vs61 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Novato | Live Oak | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 52,546 | 16,911 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $115,736 | $103,674 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $65,423 | $58,372 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,920/sq mi | 5,215/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,032,500 | $1,015,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,506 | $2,421 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.1% | 58.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.9% | 40.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.6% | 12.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 79°F | 72°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 40°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 20.2" | 22.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 31 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.8 min | 24.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 47.5 | 41.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.27 | 23.56 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 45.2% | 25.7% | 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
Novato
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, coastal flooding, inland flooding.
Live Oak
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Novato, CA · Live Oak, CA · How this is calculated: methodology