The New York City Marathon typically has just over 50,000–60,000 people running it each year , and in recent years it has set world records for field size with close to 60,000 finishers.

Quick Scoop

  • In most recent editions, the NYC Marathon has featured more than 50,000 runners on race day.
  • In 2024, there were 55,646 finishers , making it (at that time) the largest marathon ever.
  • In 2025, it grew again to about 59,000+ finishers , setting a new world record for the largest marathon in history.
  • Total starters are slightly higher than finishers, so the number of people who run (start) the race can be around 59,000–60,000 in the biggest recent years.

A bit of context

  • Since its beginnings in 1970 with only 127 entrants, the NYC Marathon has grown into the largest marathon in the world , now drawing tens of thousands of runners from well over 100 countries.
  • Over 1.2 million people have finished the NYC Marathon across its history, showing how iconic and consistently massive the event has become.

TL;DR: If someone asks “how many people run the NYC Marathon?” , the up‑to‑date, rounded answer is about 50,000–60,000 runners each year, with recent years nearing 60,000 finishers.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.