Village of Marathon City, Marathon County, Wisconsin: Place Profile

The municipality is the Village of Marathon City in Marathon County, Wisconsin (Census place GEOID 5549100; WI DOA code 37151).

Marathon City is a village governed by a non-partisan seven-member Board of Trustees: the village president and six trustees.

The village's mailing addresses often use 'Marathon' rather than 'Marathon City': the state clerk record lists Marathon, WI 54448-0487, and school addresses read Marathon, WI 54448.

Village Hall is at 311 Walnut Street (P.O. Box 487), Marathon City, WI 54448, phone 715-443-2221, open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Marathon City village covers 3.243 square miles of land and 0.016 square miles of water, with an internal point near 44.938991, -89.850095.

The village sits at the intersection of STH 29 and STH 107, above the banks of the Big Rib River on Marathon Hill, minutes west of the I-39 corridor.

The Big Rib River, which the village overlooks, is a named river in Marathon County in the USGS Geographic Names Information System.

The village says Central Wisconsin Airport is about 15 miles away.

The 2020 Census counted 1,576 residents in the Village of Marathon City.

The Wisconsin DOA January 1, 2025 official estimate for Marathon City is 1,602 residents.

The Census Bureau Vintage 2024 estimate for Marathon City village is 1,551 (July 1, 2024), from a 2020 estimates base of 1,581.

The ACS 2019-2023 5-year estimate of Marathon City's population is 1,397 (margin of error +/-169).

Marathon City's median age is 46 years (ACS 2019-2023, margin of error +/-5.8).

Marathon City's median household income is $90,000 (ACS 2019-2023, margin of error +/-$14,772).

The median value of owner-occupied homes in Marathon City is $196,600 (ACS 2019-2023, margin of error +/-$15,514).

The village president is Kurt Handrick, Jr.

The six trustees are Mark Ahrens, Alex Cabrera, Barb Parlier, Jeff Lawrence, Keith Paul and Kevin Sorenson.

Steve Cherek is the village administrator. The administrator runs daily operations, prepares the budget, handles planning and zoning administration, and serves as clerk-treasurer.

The state clerk directory lists Cassie Lang as clerk for the Village of Marathon City (715-443-2221).

The Village Board's regular meeting was set for Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. at the Marathon Municipal Center; the agenda says the meeting will be recorded and available upon request.

Village Board meetings in 2026 fall roughly monthly on Wednesdays: May 6, June 3, July 1, August 5 and September 16.

Requests to put an item on a regular Village Board agenda must reach the village administrator or president in writing by noon on the Monday before the meeting.

Agendas, agenda packets and approved minutes for the Village Board, committees and commissions post on the village website's Meetings page.

The website's Public Notices page is the village's official notice posting site, with election notices and ordinance change updates.

The village's official website is www.marathoncitywi.gov.

Appointed bodies include a Planning Commission chaired by President Handrick, a Utility Commission chaired by Andrew Berens, a Board of Appeals, and a Redevelopment Authority chaired by Handrick.

A Utility Commission meeting is scheduled for Sept. 30, 2026 at Village Hall, 311 Walnut Street.

Marathon City is served by the Rothschild Area Municipal Court, shared with Rothschild, Edgar, Weston, Schofield and the Town of Weston.

On July 23, 2026 the Marathon City Water & Sewer Utility filed a conventional rate case with the Public Service Commission to adjust water rates.

Marathon City is served by the Marathon City School District (NCES 5508670), a PK-12 district at 204 East St. that enrolled 770 students in 2024-25.

All of the village's land area (3.243 square miles) lies within the Marathon City School District.

The district's schools are Marathon Elementary and Marathon Venture Academy (both 100 Spring Valley Dr) and Marathon High (204 East St), NCES IDs 550867000991, 550867002893 and 550867000992.

The village describes Marathon Venture Academy as a charter middle school for grades 6 through 8 using the Expeditionary Learning model.

The village says Marathon High School was a 2007 National Blue Ribbon School.

St. Mary's Catholic School, run by St. Mary's Parish at 716 Market St., teaches 4K through 8th grade.

Marathon City is the headquarters of Marathon Cheese Corporation, Menzner Hardwoods and County Materials Corporation. The village calls Marathon Cheese the largest cheese packing company in the country.

The village says nearly 2,000 people commute into Marathon City daily for work and that more than 50 small businesses operate there.

Tax Increment District No. 1 has generated $41.8 million in new increment value, a 143% increase since 2016, according to the village.

Menzner Lumber, founded in 1894, is the oldest operating business in Marathon City. County Materials and Marathon Cheese were both founded by village residents just after World War II.

The Marathon Area Business Association has more than 75 member businesses across manufacturing, retail, service, construction, health, financial, transportation and automotive sectors.

The Record-Review, a Central Wisconsin News paper, covers the Marathon area; a story posted Sept. 15, 2026 for its Sept. 16 edition reported on Marathon High School basketball shot clocks.

The Record-Review publishes an e-edition through Central Wisconsin News (centralwinews.com), phone 715-223-2342.

The Marathon County Public Library's Marathon City Branch is at 515 Washington Street, Marathon City (715-443-2775).

The village built a 3,000-square-foot stand-alone library in 2010 at 4th and Washington Streets, replacing a 1,050-square-foot space in the Municipal Building. The $550,000 cost not covered by donations was split between the village and Marathon County.

The Marathon City library began in 1954 in space at Marathon High School and became a branch of the Marathon County Public Library in 1973.

IMLS FY2022 data record the Marathon Branch at 3,050 square feet.

The Marathon City Fire Department has provided fire and rescue service since 1902 and emergency medical response since 1992. It covers the village and the Towns of Cassel, Rib Falls and Stettin.

The fire station was completed in 2010 and houses six fire trucks and an off-road ATV. The roster lists 31 firefighter and EMR members, led by Chief Darrin Hall.

The Marathon City Police Department is led by Police Chief Geske with two full-time officers (non-emergency 715-443-2470).

The village says private chiropractic, dental, vision and primary care providers practice in Marathon City. Aspirus Wausau and Ascension St. Clare's hospitals are less than a half-hour away.

Marathon City addresses use ZIP code 54448.

The County Materials Sports Complex has three high school softball and youth baseball fields, a concession stand and press box, two basketball courts, two pickleball courts and a playground. Its ribbon cutting was held May 6, 2026.

Other village parks include Veteran's Park on 4th Street (shelters, softball field) and Lions Club Tower Park at STH 107 and Town Road.

The Goldbach Swim Center, next to the library, offers year-round swimming.

The village says Granite Peak (72 runs) and the Nine Mile County Forest (18 miles of groomed cross-country ski trails) are a few miles outside village limits, and the Big Rib River offers canoeing and kayaking.

Marathon Fun Days are held each Labor Day weekend at Veterans Park, with a parade, live music, carnival and games.

The Marathon City Heritage Center at 301 Main Street opens from noon to 2:00 p.m. on the second Sunday of each month from October through April and the first Sunday in May.

Marathon City was settled by members of the Pittsburgh German Homestead Society, organized in 1856. The first colonists left Pittsburgh in spring 1857 and reached the site by canoe up the Wisconsin and Rib rivers.

Village leaders petitioned in 1884 to incorporate Marathon City as a political entity separate from the Town of Marathon.

The railroad arrived in 1891, and the twin-steeple brick St. Mary's Catholic Church was built in 1911.

From the 1950s, ginseng became a leading crop for area growers, after earlier wheat and dairy farming.

The village's name commemorates the Battle of Marathon.

The Fricke-Menzner House at 105 Main St. was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 16, 1992. The village history says Henry Fricke built the red brick house in 1875 and it now holds Menzner Lumber's offices.

In 2017 Peoples State Bank gifted a former 1,800-square-foot branch at Second and Main streets to Marathon City 2020, Ltd. for the Heritage Center.