The Town FilesMarathon, New York
Town in Cortland County · population 2,038 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $136,100
- Household income
- $64,438
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 65 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 36.4
Marathon is a town of 2,038 people in Cortland County, New York. The median home is worth $136,100, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks easier by car than 94% of New York towns.
How Marathon ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Marathon is worth $136,100, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $64,438, which is more affordable than 80% of New York towns. Median rent is $782 a month. 75.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Marathon | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $136,100 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $782 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $64,438 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 75.2% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Marathon
| People | Marathon | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.4 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.5% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 26.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.7% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.4% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 12.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 5.7% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 28.4 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.6% | 91.1% |
Weather in Marathon
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 15.3°F. About 41.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 64.5 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 150 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Marathon since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on August 7, 2023 about 9.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 15, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 17, 2021.
Severe weather in Cortland County since 1996
Cortland County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 29, 2024 | Flood | DR-4814: Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 8, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4625: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| December 19, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4472: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Cortland County
Cortland County had 16,911 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,778 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Marathon itself the ACS puts it at 7.4%.
Towns near Marathon
- Marathon, NY2.0 mi · 892 people · home $124,800
- Lisle, NY4.2 mi · 2,691 people · home $116,800
- Willet, NY4.6 mi · 894 people · home $120,400
- Lapeer, NY5.9 mi · 795 people · home $160,600
- Triangle, NY6.3 mi · 2,809 people · home $124,400
- Freetown, NY6.4 mi · 767 people · home $141,800
- Whitney Point, NY7.0 mi · 960 people · home $140,800
- Cincinnatus, NY8.4 mi · 902 people · home $123,800
Marathon questions
Is Marathon, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Marathon scores better for retirees than 8% of New York towns and quieter than 63%. 16.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.4).
How much does a house cost in Marathon?
The median owner-occupied home in Marathon is valued at $136,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,438, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $782 a month.
What is the weather like in Marathon?
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 15.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.3 inches of precipitation a year and 64.5 inches of snow.
Does Marathon get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Marathon since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on August 7, 2023. The typical New York town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)