How do I get from Palmerston North to Marton?

By car it is around 35 to 40 minutes northwest of Palmerston North on State Highway 3 and the local roads. Marton sits on the North Island Main Trunk rail line, though passenger stops are limited.

Why was Marton an important railway town?

In 1885 Marton became the junction where the North Island Main Trunk line met the line to New Plymouth. That junction made it a thriving rail town for around a hundred years.

What schools are in Marton?

Marton has several state primaries, including Marton School, founded in 1866, and Rangitīkei College for secondary students. It is also home to two private boarding schools, Huntley and Nga Tawa.

Is Marton the biggest town in Rangitīkei?

Yes. Marton is the largest town in the Rangitīkei district, and the second largest in the wider Whanganui and Rangitīkei area after Whanganui itself.

Marton, Manawatu-Whanganui | Schools, Lifestyle & Local Guide

Living in Marton

Marton is the largest town in the Rangitīkei, sitting in the farming country of the lower North Island about 40 km northwest of Palmerston North and 35 km southeast of Whanganui. It is a town the railways made: in 1885 it became the junction where the main trunk line met the line to New Plymouth, and for the next century Marton was a thriving rail town.

That railway prosperity left its mark in gracious old houses on generous sections and a set of well-known schools. Alongside the state primaries, the town is home to two long-established private boarding schools: Huntley, an Anglican preparatory school for boys, and Nga Tawa, the Wellington Diocesan school for girls out on the plains nearby.

Local state schooling runs from Marton School, founded back in 1866, through Marton Junction, James Cook and South Makirikiri schools, with Rangitīkei College taking secondary students. The main street carries the practical shops, cafes and services of a rural service town, with the bigger retail of Palmerston North within easy reach.

The trains no longer stop the way they once did, but Marton still has the unhurried solidity of a town that was somewhere, and quietly still is.

Is Marton a good place to live?

Marton is home to roughly 6,690 people. On Suburb's overall livability scale, Marton scores 63 out of 100, with a safety score of 45/100 and 8% green space.

Housing: The estimated median value is around $421K, and weekly rent typically sits around $300.

Lifestyle: Marton has cafés, shops and things to do nearby. Public transport stops are within easy reach. The current temperature is 9.5°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.

Whether Marton is right for you depends on what you’re looking for. Use the data and community tips below to decide if it suits your lifestyle, family and budget.

Map

Livability Breakdown

Safety45
Amenities100
Schools0
Housing Affordability89
Green space28
Community33
Transport10

Some dimensions are still pending data: schoolQuality.

Property & Economics

Est. Median Value: $421K
Median Weekly Rent: $300/wk
Median HH Income: $62K/yr
Pop. Growth (5yr): +6.5%
Data Year: 2023

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

† Est. Median Value is suburb.co.nz's own estimate, modelled from available public data. We aim for accuracy, but where data is limited, estimates may be imprecise.

Nearby Suburbs

Browse all suburbs in Rangitikei District →

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Marton?: Marton is the largest town in the Rangitīkei, in the lower North Island, about 40 km northwest of Palmerston North and 35 km southeast of Whanganui. It sits in the region's farming country.
How do I get from Palmerston North to Marton?: By car it is around 35 to 40 minutes northwest of Palmerston North on State Highway 3 and the local roads. Marton sits on the North Island Main Trunk rail line, though passenger stops are limited.
Why was Marton an important railway town?: In 1885 Marton became the junction where the North Island Main Trunk line met the line to New Plymouth. That junction made it a thriving rail town for around a hundred years.
What schools are in Marton?: Marton has several state primaries, including Marton School, founded in 1866, and Rangitīkei College for secondary students. It is also home to two private boarding schools, Huntley and Nga Tawa.
Is Marton the biggest town in Rangitīkei?: Yes. Marton is the largest town in the Rangitīkei district, and the second largest in the wider Whanganui and Rangitīkei area after Whanganui itself.

Explore Marton

Things to do(13)

Rangitikei Squash Club

Marton Centenial Park

Marton Boxing

Highland Evolution

Dance Unlimited

Kung Fu Academy NZ

Rangitikei Active Gym

Frae Ona Park

Marton Bowling Club

Tutaenui Reservoir

Marton Memorial Park Walkway

Pine Park

Wilson Park Development Group WPDG

Parks & green spaces(6)

Marton Centenial Park

Frae Ona Park

Tutaenui Reservoir

Marton Memorial Park Walkway

Pine Park

Wilson Park Development Group WPDG

Healthcare(1)

Month	High (°C)	Low (°C)	Rainfall (mm/day)	Sunshine (hrs/day)
☀️ Jan	22.09	14.02	5.53	10.79
☀️ Feb	21.08	13.08	3.76	10.26
🍂 Mar	18.68	10.61	2.72	9.69
🍂 Apr	17.89	10.21	3.52	8.19
🍂 May	15.16	7.72	3.36	7.36
❄️ Jun	13.68	6.84	1.54	7.45
❄️ Jul	12.22	5.32	4.31	6.93
❄️ Aug	12.31	4.85	4.29	7.97
🌸 Sep	14.71	7.18	5.11	8.98
🌸 Oct	16.26	8.34	4.17	9.81
🌸 Nov	17.53	9.97	3.68	10.2
☀️ Dec	20.6	12.8	2.72	10.76

Living in Marton

Is Marton a good place to live?

Map

Livability Breakdown

Property & Economics

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

Nearby Suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore Marton

🎯Things to do(13)

Rangitikei Squash Club

Marton Centenial Park

Marton Boxing

Highland Evolution

Dance Unlimited

Kung Fu Academy NZ

Rangitikei Active Gym

Frae Ona Park

Marton Bowling Club

Tutaenui Reservoir

Marton Memorial Park Walkway

Pine Park

Wilson Park Development Group WPDG

🌳Parks & green spaces(6)

Marton Centenial Park

Frae Ona Park

Tutaenui Reservoir

Marton Memorial Park Walkway

Pine Park

Wilson Park Development Group WPDG

🏥Healthcare(1)

Marton Pharmacy Ltd

Eat & Drink in Marton

🍽️Places to eat & drink(15)

The Lounge Pizza

Cook's Bar and Cafe

Sugar Plum Cafe

The Club Hotel Marton

Whitz and Kidz Homemade Goodies

Little Brewz Coffee

Moomaa Cafe and Design Store

Guang Dong Takeaways Marton New Zealand

Captain Cooks Bar- Marton

Mad Toms

Centennial Park Dairy

Four Doors Down Cafe

Marton Bakery & Cafe

Aunty’s Bar and Grill

Three High Street Coffee House

Tradies & Services in Marton

🔧Tradies & services(23)

A.J. Willis & Sons

ACDelco Marton - BJW Motors 2022 Limited

All Terrain Alignments

Bee Kids Childcare Centre

BJW Marton Service Centre

Bobbinz n Boltz

CD Outdoor Power Equipment

Cobham Hopkins Ltd

G-Mech Ltd

Hogan Plumbing

Jimmie's Lawnmowing

Marton After School Kids

Mc Civil Limited

Mitchell Roofing Ltd.

N.R Rhodes Cabinetmaker

One Stop Auto Rangitikei

Rangitikei Tyre Centre Limited

Rangitikei Tyres, Oil & Filters

Richards Construction 2022 Ltd

Robbies Mechanical Services

Smith & Smith Authorised Dealer

Sow and Sew | Clothing Alterations & Sewing Services in Marton

TK Painting

Shops in Marton

🛍️Shops(28)

Alf Downs Appliances Ltd

Ballentynes Fashion Central

Beds R Us NZ

BedsRus Marton

Things to do(13)

Parks & green spaces(6)

Healthcare(1)

Places to eat & drink(15)

Tradies & services(23)

Shops(28)

Beauty & fitness(14)

Professional services(6)

Places to stay(3)