Marathon at a glance
- Population: about 883 residents, ranking 444th of 595 Census places in New York (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 914 people at the 2020 Census, the baseline for the trend below (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: a loss of about 3.4% since the 2020 count (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among New York places: 444th by size among 595 communities (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 25% of New York's Census places are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 42.4448, -76.0362 (Census Gazetteer, US Census Bureau).
- Nearest larger cities: Whitney Point, NY (9 mi); McGraw, NY (11 mi); Cortland, NY (13 mi); Dryden, NY (14 mi); Homer, NY (15 mi) — straight-line distances, US Census Bureau populations.
- Nearest smaller communities: Lisle, NY (7 mi); Freeville, NY (16 mi); Candor, NY (21 mi), each a US Census place.
What a personal loan costs in Marathon
Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is pledged, and they are repaid in equal installments over a fixed term.
APR is the figure that lets you compare like with like, since it wraps fees into the rate; run your own numbers with the personal loan calculator.
The offer you receive reflects the lender's read of your credit, income and debts, and the term controls the balance between payment size and total interest.
If you are consolidating debt, the loan only helps if you stop adding to the balances it clears; otherwise the total debt grows.
New York lending rules that apply in Marathon
The New York rate caps and licensing rules that reach Marathon are listed below, each with its source and retrieval date.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Licensed Lender license required (Banking Law Article 9, sections 340-361); administered via NMLS Source says: "The Department of Financial Services uses the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry (NMLS) to manage the Licensed Lender License." | New York State Department of Financial Services as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) Source says: "Notify the Department of Financial Services at (800) 342-3736 if you believe payday loans are being made in New York" | New York State Department of Financial Services as of 2026-09-16 |
| Criminal usury in the second degree (Penal Law 190.40) | Interest rate exceeding 25% per annum; class E felony Source says: "at a rate exceeding twenty-five per centum per annum or the equivalent rate for a longer or shorter period" | New York State Senate (Open Legislation) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 16% per annum maximum civil rate (Banking Law 14-a; General Obligations Law 5-501) Source says: "The maximum rate of interest provided for in section 5-501 of the general obligations law shall be sixteen per centum per annum." | New York State Senate (Open Legislation) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Illegal in New York State, in person, by telephone, or over the Internet Source says: "Payday loans are illegal in New York State." | New York State Department of Financial Services as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Marathon
Run through this list before signing anything in Marathon:
- Pull your free credit reports and dispute any error — it is the cheapest way to improve the rate you are offered.
- Run your figures through the personal loan calculator on this site so you know the payment before a lender quotes one.
- Pre-qualify with at least three lenders and compare the APR, not the interest rate.
- Check that the lender is licensed in New York using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.