Marathon at a glance
- Population: about 9,849, 173rd by size in Florida of 411 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: the 2020 Census recorded 9,733 residents here (US Census Bureau).
- 2020 to 2023 change: roughly 1.2% higher than at the 2020 Census (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Florida places: the 173rd-largest of 411 (US Census Bureau, 2023 estimate).
- Size percentile: ahead of around 58% of Florida places in population terms (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 24.7323, -81.0251 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities within 120 miles: Key West, FL (49 mi); Florida City, FL (60 mi); Homestead, FL (62 mi); Cutler Bay, FL (73 mi); Palmetto Bay, FL (76 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Nearest smaller towns: Key Colony Beach, FL (1 mi); Layton, FL (15 mi); Islamorada, Village of Islands, FL (35 mi) (US Census Bureau).
What a personal loan costs in Marathon
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
The APR is the comparable price of a loan since it folds in fees; model any offer with the personal loan calculator first.
Your credit, income and existing debts drive the rate a lender offers, while the term you pick sets how much interest builds on top.
A useful rule is to keep the new payment inside the room your budget already has, so the loan eases pressure instead of adding to it.
Florida lending rules that apply in Marathon
The sourced rows below are the rules a licensed lender must follow when lending in Florida, and therefore in Marathon.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer finance loan license required (chapter 516) Source says: "A person must not engage in the business of making consumer finance loans ... unless ... the person first obtains a license from the office". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) Source says: "The Office of Financial Regulation is a state-government agency created by the Governor and Cabinet to provide regulatory oversight for Florida's financial services industry". | Florida Office of Financial Regulation as of 2026-09-16 |
| Deferred presentment fee cap | 10% of the amount provided (transactions not repayable in installments) Source says: "A deferred presentment provider or its affiliate may not charge fees that exceed 10 percent of the currency or payment instrument provided". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 18% per annum simple interest (loans/advances of $500,000 or less; loans above $500,000 are exempt from this cap) Source says: "it shall be usury and unlawful ... to ... charge ... a rate of interest greater than the equivalent of 18 percent per annum simple interest". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (deferred presentment providers; money services business license under chapter 560) Source says: "Businesses intending to engage in deferred presentment transactions must be licensed as a money services business under chapter 560, Florida Statutes". | Florida Office of Financial Regulation as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Marathon
These steps are the ones that most affect the offer you receive 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 Florida using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.