The city of Marathon (incorporated only in 1999) lies in the heart of the Florida Keys, elevation above sea level, three feet. With a justifiable claim to some of the best fishing in the state and the Gulf, Marathon offers exquisite beaches, dramatic sunsets, and a wonderfully semitropical climate year round. Named by railway workers in the late 19th century for their seemingly endless hours spent at completing the railroad across the Keys, Marathon today spreads across 8.6 square miles of the island.

As of the last federal census, Marathon's population numbered about 11,000. Most--median age 43.8--are fairly well educated. Nearly 20 percent are foreign born. Unemployment (3.7 percent) is impressively low in Marathon, much more so than elsewhere in the state. Commuting, clearly, isn't much of an issue: on average, by all reports, it's about 15 minutes. As might be expected, the biggest employers are the entertainment, recreation, and accommodations sectors, followed by retail trade.

Hopping the Florida Keys

Marathon's beaches, of course, are magnificent. Fishing and boating of all types are understandably both popular and important to the local lifestyle. The Keys are a slender sweep of islands: Deer Key is 7.9 miles away, Duck Key 9.5 miles, Big Pine Key 22 miles, Big Coppitt Key 43 miles, and Key West 47 miles. To Key Largo across the Keys on Route 5, the drive is just over 50 miles.

Getting to the mainland is more of a journey. To Miami, picking up the Florida Turnpike (821) after leaving Route 5 and Highway 1, it's 112 miles--about two and a half hours. The Everglades, of course, lie just to the northeast across the Gulf. Marathon has its own airport, which is certified for carrier flights. Key West International is the most convenient. Miami International, on the south side of the city, is 90 miles away.