How far is Houston, MO from Independence, MO?

The driving distance from Houston, MO to Independence, MO is about 262.9 miles (423.1 km), with a travel time of about 04h 11m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 180.8 miles (291 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 08h 22m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
262.93 mi
04h 11m
Flight
180.82 mi
291 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Houston.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
180.82 mi
Kilometers
291 km
Flight Time
00h 21m

Driving Distance

Road route
262.93 mi
Kilometers
423.15 km
Drive Time
04h 11m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 04h 11m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Independence
Thu, Apr 23, 11:41 AM CDT
Return by in Houston
Thu, Apr 23, 3:53 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Houston
2026-04-23T07:30
Arrive Independence
Thu, Apr 23, 11:41 AM CDT
Route Timing
04h 11m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:11 AM to 12:11 PM CDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
8:38 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Houston
9:00 PM CDT
Early departure recommended

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Pierpont
MO

Village in Boone County, Missouri, USA

From Houston
128.7 mi
02h 05m
To Independence
134.3 mi
02h 05m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
78°F
Thursday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 to 15 mph S
Destination
77°F
Thursday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
17 to 21 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Houston and Independence.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Houston and Independence.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    54 m · 13 sec

  2. 2

    Turn left onto South 2nd Street

    686 ft · 32 sec · South 2nd Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto East Walnut Street

    1397 ft · 42 sec · East Walnut Street

  4. 4

    Turn left

    47.3 mi · 59 min

  5. 5

    Continue on North Bishop Avenue

    87 m · 5 sec · North Bishop Avenue

  6. 6

    Keep slight left to continue on North Bishop Avenue

    56 m · 3 sec · North Bishop Avenue

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on Tim Bradley Way

    2000 ft · 48 sec · Tim Bradley Way

  8. 8

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

    55 m · 3 sec

  9. 9

    Exit the roundabout

    7.5 mi · 11 min

  10. 10

    Turn right

    7.5 mi · 10 min

  11. 11

    Turn left

    44.6 mi · 58 min

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward US 54 East, US 63 North: Fulton, Columbia

    1591 ft · 41 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight left

    1.4 mi · 2 min

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward US 63 North: Columbia

    27.8 mi · 31 min

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward I 70, US 40, MO PP: Kansas City, Saint Louis

    2021 ft · 43 sec

  16. 16

    Continue straight

    1089 ft · 31 sec

  17. 17

    Take the exit left toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City

    2220 ft · 54 sec

  18. 18

    Merge slight left onto Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway

  19. 19

    Continue on Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway

    1.6 mi · 2 min · Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway

  20. 20

    Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    1.8 mi · 2 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  21. 21

    Continue on U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway

    54.4 mi · 58 min · U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway

  22. 22

    Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    52.5 mi · 57 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  23. 23

    Continue on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

    2.7 mi · 3 min · Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

  24. 24

    Continue on Clifton J. Scott Memorial Highway

    1.4 mi · 2 min · Clifton J. Scott Memorial Highway

  25. 25

    Take the exit slight right toward Noland Road

    1110 ft · 24 sec

  26. 26

    Turn right onto South Noland Road

    3 mi · 5 min · South Noland Road

  27. 27

    Turn left onto East Walnut Street

    142 m · 23 sec · East Walnut Street

  28. 28

    Turn right onto South Lynn Street

    120 m · 23 sec · South Lynn Street

  29. 29

    Turn left onto East Kansas Avenue

    44 m · 6 sec · East Kansas Avenue

  30. 30

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Kansas Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Houston and Independence.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
30 steps
11 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
9
2 merges, 7 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
11.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi · 21%
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
54.3 mi · 21%
US 63 North
27.8 mi · 11%
Tim Bradley Way
7.9 mi · 3%
South Noland Road
3.04 mi · 1%
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
2.65 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway

Continue on U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway

54.4 mi · 00h 58m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
04h 11m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
08h 22m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+82.1 mi
180.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Pierpont
02h 05m from Houston
Leave By
8:38 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny leaving Houston and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Independence.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Houston to Independence?

The road trip is about 262.9 miles (423.1 km) and usually takes 04h 11m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Pierpont is a useful midpoint, sitting about 128.7 miles from Houston and 134.3 miles from Independence.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 180.8 miles (291 km), while the road route adds roughly 82.1 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 8:38 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $34.99 one way or $69.99 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 82.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny around Houston and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Independence.

Stop Ideas Near Pierpont

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Pierpont, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Pierpont.

RAIL

Jefferson City

34 mi away
101 Jefferson Street
RAIL

Hermann

78 mi away
Wharf & Gutenberg Sts.
RAIL

Sedalia

81 mi away
100 block of Main Street, through parking lot
RAIL

Washington

118 mi away
301 West Front St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Houston and Independence. Straight-line distance: 180.82 mi (291 km).

Houston

#1 Houston

City in Missouri, United States

Population2,085
Coordinates37.3261600, -91.9559900
Altitude355
CountryUnited States
Independence

#2 Independence

A city in Jackson County, Missouri.

Population116,774
Coordinates39.0911200, -94.4155100
Altitude315
CountryUnited States
Start: (-91.955994, 37.325994)
End: East Kansas Avenue (-94.415514, 39.091027)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 423 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)08h 45m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)06h 34m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 15m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 22m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 45m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 16m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
9.28 gal
35.12 L · about $34.99
Round trip
$69.99
18.56 gal · 70.24 L
Estimated CO2
82.5 kg one way
Round trip: 164.9 kg / 364 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $34.99 $69.99
Mid-grade $4.25 $39.47 $78.94
Premium $4.65 $43.19 $86.38
Diesel $5.30 $49.22 $98.44

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Missouri · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Houston and Independence. The current time is 07:30:30.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.