2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Novato, CA vs Lake Forest, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Lake Forest older or younger than people in Novato?
- The Median Age in Lake Forest is 8.0 years younger than in Novato.

Are housing costs cheaper in Lake Forest or Novato?
- Lake Forest housing costs are 10.9% less expensive than Novato housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Lake Forest or Novato?
- The average commute for residents of Lake Forest is 6.6 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 Lake Forest?
Lake Forest, California markets itself as the ultimate Southern California lifestyle with numerous parks, shopping centers, and miles of trails giving visitors plenty of options for an active lifestyle.

 Novato, CALake Forest, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock85,516329,725,481
 Median Income$107,975  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock40.138.4
 Avg. Home Price$1,052,000  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock5.6%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 Lake Forest    16 Reviews

I've lived in Lake Forest for over a decade, before that elsewhere in OC and also up in LA. Lake Forest isn't perfect but it's really improved over the past decade,  More

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As a retired senior who has lived in Lake Forest (formerly El Toro) since 1977 I think LF is a great place if you can afford it. When we moved here in June '77 homes  More

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I’ve lived here for 2 years. Ok, it’s more like a 4 but there are so many idiots downplaying what it’s like here and giving Lake Forest ones and twos. There are a lot of  More

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