What kinds of homes are in Novato, CA?

Name: Types of homes in Novato, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Novato, CA has 20,982 (±679) homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is about 767 homes per square mile of land.

58.5% are detached single-family houses.

6.5% are in buildings of two to four units.

20.3% are in buildings of five or more units.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Housing units: 20,982 (±679)
Detached houses: 58.5%
2–4 unit buildings: 6.5%
5+ unit buildings: 20.3%

Homes in Novato by building size

Housing units by units in structure, 2020–2024
Building type	Novato	Marin County	California	United States
Single-family, detached	58.5% (±2.3 points)	63.2%	57.0%	61.3%
Single-family, attached (townhouse, rowhouse)	11.7% (±1.4 points)	7.7%	7.4%	6.2%
2 units	1.7% (±0.8 points)	3.5%	2.4%	3.4%
3 or 4 units	4.8% (±1.5 points)	4.9%	5.4%	4.3%
5 to 9 units	6.0% (±1.5 points)	6.0%	5.7%	4.5%
10 to 19 units	3.4% (±1.1 points)	4.2%	4.9%	4.3%
20 or more units	10.9% (±1.8 points)	8.9%	13.6%	10.3%
Mobile home	3.1% (±1.0 points)	1.3%	3.5%	5.6%
Boat, RV, van, etc.	0.0% (±0.2 points)	0.3%	0.1%	0.1%

In Novato, the share of homes in buildings of five or more units is not measurably different from Marin County (19.1%).

It is also lower than in California (24.2%).

It is not measurably different from the national figure (19.1%).

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units in places near Novato

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Novato
Place	Distance	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units	Compared with this place
Novato	—	20.3% (±2.6 points)	—
Black Point-Green Point	2.4 mi	0.0% (±9.5 points)	Lower
Lucas Valley-Marinwood	3.4 mi	0.5% (±2.5 points)	Lower
Sleepy Hollow	5.5 mi	0.0% (±6.2 points)	Lower
Santa Venetia	6.0 mi	14.4% (±8.6 points)	Not measurably different
Fairfax	7.1 mi	11.1% (±5.0 points)	Lower
San Anselmo	7.2 mi	9.7% (±3.2 points)	Lower
Woodacre	7.4 mi	0.0% (±10.9 points)	Lower
San Rafael	7.5 mi	31.6% (±3.0 points)	Higher

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Black Point-Green Point, CA (0.0%), Lucas Valley-Marinwood, CA (0.5%), Sleepy Hollow, CA (0.0%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: San Rafael, CA (31.6%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units across Marin County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units
1	Marin City	55.9% (±15.5 points)
2	Larkspur	45.1% (±6.3 points)
3	Strawberry	39.9% (±8.1 points)
4	San Rafael	31.6% (±3.0 points)
5	Alto	29.1% (±29.7 points)
6	Tiburon	21.2% (±6.5 points)
7	Novato	20.3% (±2.6 points)
8	Santa Venetia	14.4% (±8.6 points)
9	Corte Madera	13.7% (±4.9 points)
10 (tie)	Mill Valley	13.3% (±3.9 points)
10 (tie)	Sausalito	13.3% (±3.2 points)
12	Fairfax	11.1% (±5.0 points)
13	San Anselmo	9.7% (±3.2 points)

Showing 13 of 24 places in Marin County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Novato

How many homes are in Novato?

Novato, CA has an estimated 20,982 (±679) housing units, occupied and vacant (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Are most homes in Novato houses or apartments?

58.5% are detached houses and 11.7% attached houses, while 26.8% are in buildings of two or more units.

How many two-family and small multifamily homes are in Novato?

6.5% of homes in Novato are in buildings of two to four units, the small rental buildings that are often owner-occupied.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Novato city, California

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Novato city, California (place:52582, in state:06).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0007PE, DP04_0007PM, DP04_0008PE, DP04_0008PM, DP04_0009PE, DP04_0009PM, DP04_0010PE, DP04_0010PM, DP04_0011PE, DP04_0011PM, DP04_0012PE, DP04_0012PM, DP04_0013PE, DP04_0013PM, DP04_0014PE, DP04_0014PM, DP04_0015PE, DP04_0015PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.