2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Novato, CA vs Foster City, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Foster City older or younger than people in Novato?
- The Median Age in Foster City is 8.5 years younger than in Novato.

Are housing costs cheaper in Foster City or Novato?
- Foster City housing costs are 57.2% more expensive than Novato housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Foster City or Novato?
- The average commute for residents of Foster City is 1.5 minutes shorter than it is for residents of Novato.

Things to do in Novato?
Novato, California is located in Marin County, just north of San Francisco. Novato is home to nearly 56,000 people and offers a mix of rural and urban attractions. Residents enjoy outdoor activities such as Mt. Burdell Open Space Preserve and the Novato Arts Center for its art galleries, plays, and music events. Novato also boasts several shopping destinations in addition to top-notch schools, hospitals and services. With its combination of small-town charm, big-city amenities and access to pristine natural beauty, Novato provides an excellent place to call home.

Things to do in Foster City?
Foster City CA rests just south of San Francisco Bay full of outdoor fun like fishing & biking trails at Leo J Ryan Memorial Park combined with convenient access to notable Silicon Valley companies like Oracle.

 Novato, CAFoster City, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock33,511329,725,481
 Median Income$107,975  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock39.638.4
 Avg. Home Price$1,052,000  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock3.8%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time32.59  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Novato    9 Reviews

Lush hills, hiking trails, and easy access to both wine country and San Francisco. We love it here.  More

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Over 10 years ago

Novato is a family oriented community located about 20 miles north of the Golden Gate bridge. The quality of life is excellent here assuming your job pays you enough to  More

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Over 11 years ago

We recently moved to a secluded neighborhood in Novato after 25 years in central Marin. While there are fewer restaurants and galleries, we are very pleased with our  More

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Reviews for Foster City    4 Reviews

Over 17 years ago

Built on lagoons, great climate, good schools, lots of soccer and other sports for kids, plenty of parking and  More

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Over 18 years ago

A great city to raise a family, safe, great weather around the year, good schools and plenty of recreation. But only if you can afford the hight cost of  More

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Landlords are able to command and receive high rent due to the following attributes: safety, weather and cleanliness of Foster City. The lagoon, waterways and gardens  More

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