MarathonIA
A town of 213, settled in 1882.
Is Marathon a good place to live?
25% of residents live below the poverty line in Marathon, above both the Iowa town median (11%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). No town among the 141 in Iowa we compare has a lower median household income than Marathon. Marathon has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
213 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Marathon: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Marathon, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Marathon.
Marathon’s typical home value is about $106K
The typical Marathon home is worth about $106,000, up 4.5% in a year, 55% below the Iowa typical home. 89% of households own their home in Marathon, above both Iowa’s towns (70%) and U.S. towns (73%). Marathon’s median rent is $775 a month.
| Marathon | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 89% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $775 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Fewer of Marathon’s working residents work locally than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
1% of working residents work locally in Marathon. The top destinations are Storm Lake (12%), Laurens (11%) and Spencer (7%). The average trip to work in Marathon is 27 minutes.
| Marathon | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Marathon
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 72% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
In Marathon, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Marathon has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 8° and about 35 inches of snow falls in a winter.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
How healthy Marathon is
Marathon beats the Iowa average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 17% of Marathon adults smoke cigarettes.
| Marathon | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 38% | 35% |
| What stands out | Marathon | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 86.3% | 84.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about Marathon
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Marathon; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Marathon residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
99% of working residents leave Marathon for work
Where Marathon’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Marathon
City in Iowa, USA
Marathon is a city in Buena Vista County, Iowa, United States. The population was 230 at the time of the 2020 census. The food writer Richard Olney grew up in Marathon. From 1996 to 2017, every year in June, a marathon, half-marathon and 5k were held in the city. It was USA Track and Field certified and sanctioned, allowing participants to be eligible to qualify for the Boston Marathon.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,391 ft
- ZIP code
- 50565
Questions about Marathon
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Marathon, IA a good place to live?
Marathon has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.