As noted in a recent news report in the Marin Independent Journal, growth rates in Marin were relatively low over the past year.  Overall, population growth was 0.9 percent last year (for a total population of 255,982). 

In Novato, however, the population grew by 2.4 percent to 52,426, largely due to new housing in Hamilton Field and Atherton Ranch.  Over the past seven years, Hamilton has seen over 2,100 homes built.  The large increase in population (mainly young families) has resulted in rapid increases in the number of children attending Hamilton Elementary School, which has grown from 365 children to 488 children over the past two years. 

Since 1999, growth in Novato has far outpaced that of the rest of Marin:

• Novato is up 10%
• Corte Madera is up 4%
• San Rafael is up 3.5%
• Tiburon is up 2.5%
• Ross is up 2.15%
• Sausalito is up 1.7%
• Mill Valley is up 1.6%
• San Anselmo is up 1.1%
• Belvedere is up 1.1%
• Larkspur is up .9%
• Overall is up 3.5%

This information derived from the Marin Independent Journal, Growing Pains, 5/3/07 (Article).