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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Novato, CA

Population: 53,055 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

B
78/100

Good fiscal health — above-average across most metrics

Total Spending
$701.1M
Per Capita
$13,215
Total Revenue
$545.6M
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
50.3%$352.4M
Housing & Community Development
26.4%$185.0M
Public Welfare
12.8%$89.9M
Parks & Recreation
4.4%$30.8M
Sewerage
3.4%$23.6M
Hospitals
2.8%$19.4M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
3.5%$19.1M
Intergovernmental
19.2%$104.6M
Other
9.2%$50.4M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Parks & Recreation$581/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)53/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)94/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Novato stacks up against another city.

vs Los Angeles, CAvs San Diego, CAvs San Jose, CA
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in California

Frequently Asked Questions

Novato, CA spends $13,215 per resident, based on total expenditures of $701.1M for a population of 53,055. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of B (78/100).

Novato, CA has total expenditures of $701.1M and total revenue of $545.6M. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Novato, CA employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Novato, CA has a Fiscal Health Score of B (78/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.