Flagship ranking · updated July 10, 2026

Best Half Marathons in the US

The half marathon is the sport's best-kept open secret: long enough to demand real training, short enough that the race doesn't wreck your month. It's also where our formula behaves differently than it does with marathons. No World Marathon Major machinery exists at 13.1, so no race gets a credentials windfall — these rankings are won on field size, history, and course character alone, which makes the list more democratic and, we'd argue, more useful.

One honest caveat before the rows: our half marathon index is younger and thinner than the marathon one. Several excellent races — standalone halfs attached to marathon weekends, fast regional courses — are still being added as the database grows. Scores below are computed exactly like everything else on this site; the breakdown is on every row and the full formula lives on the methodology page. Rankings are never sold.

Think a race is missing or mis-scored? Race directors can claim and correct their listing for free — that's how this database gets better.

Composite /100 · FLD field · HST history · CRD credentials · CHR character

1 Brooklyn Half Marathon Brooklyn, NY May 2027 USATF 76.3/100

The largest half marathon in the country most years, and the rare big-city race that feels like a neighborhood party for 13.1 straight miles. The course runs through Prospect Park before a long, arrow-straight send down Ocean Parkway to a boardwalk finish at Coney Island — start in the borough, finish at the beach. Field size and four decades of history do the scoring work here, and both are earned.

2 Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon Duluth, MN Jun 2027 USATF 73.9/100

Grandma's Marathon's little sibling shares the same point-to-point ribbon of road along Lake Superior and sells out just as fast — for many Duluth-bound runners, this is the goal race and the marathon is the excuse. Cool June air off the lake, a net-flat profile, and small-town support the whole way. Arguably the best combination of fast and beautiful at this distance in the country.

3 Indy Mini-Marathon Indianapolis, IN May 2027 USATF 71.8/100

One of the largest halfs in America for decades running, with the most famous mile in the field: a full lap of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where you can run across the yard of bricks. Flat, superbly organized, and steeped in nearly fifty years of history — the longevity component is doing heavy, deserved lifting in this score.

4 NYC Half Marathon New York, NY Mar 2027 USATF 71.3/100

The only road race that sends you through a car-free Times Square, and the March date makes it the season-opener for half the East Coast. From Brooklyn over the Manhattan Bridge to a Central Park finish, it's the five-borough experience in concentrate. Younger than everything above it, which the history component prices in — the demand for entries doesn't care.

5 Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Half San Diego, CA Jun 2027 USATF 68.1/100

The race that launched the run-to-live-music format, still the strongest edition of the series. San Diego in early June is about as kind as race weather gets, and the course shows off the city. It scores on size and consistency rather than any single spectacular feature — a dependable, high-energy pick, especially for a first half.

6 Austin International Half Marathon Austin, TX Jan 2027 USATF 61.3/100

Austin's point-to-point January speedway: a gentle net-downhill run into downtown that has produced more half marathon PRs per capita than almost anywhere. The smallest field and the quietest course character on this list, and the score reflects it — but if your goal is a number rather than a story, start here.

Best Half Marathons in the US

Races worth traveling for