The typical owner-occupied home in Marathon is worth about $46,900, 77% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 86% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $624 a year in property taxes, about 1.33% of their home's value, close to the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $39,375 a year, so the median home costs 1.2 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 89% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 22% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Marathon at a glance
| Marathon | Iowa | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $46,900 | $208,000 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $624 | $2,897 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.33% | 1.39% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $39,375 | $75,059 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 89% | 72% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 22% | 59% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $856 | $1,533 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 10.8% | 18.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $775 | $972 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 37.5% | 27.4% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1938 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 16.3% | 8.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 234 | 3,210,507 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Marathon
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Marathon home of $46,900 with 20% down costs about $324 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $402, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $13,882 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 10% of the median Marathon household income of $39,375; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $133,000.
The median rent here is $775 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.
| Down payment | $9,380 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $37,520 |
| Principal and interest | $252 |
| Property taxes (1.33% a year) | $52 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $20 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $324 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $1,642 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $46,051 |
| Principal and interest | $310 |
| Property taxes (1.33% a year) | $52 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $20 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $21 |
| Total per month | $402 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Marathon
What is the median home value in Marathon?
About $46,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Marathon?
Homeowners pay a median $624 a year, which is about 1.33% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Marathon?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $324 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $13,882 a year.
More about Marathon
- Mortgage Refinance in Marathon
- Debt Relief in Marathon
- Home Equity Loans in Marathon
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data