How far is Jefferson, GA from Athens, GA?

The driving distance from Jefferson, GA to Athens, GA is about 18.1 miles (29.2 km), with a travel time of about 00h 29m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 15.5 miles (24.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 59m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
18.17 mi
00h 29m
Flight
15.5 mi
24.95 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Jefferson.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
15.5 mi
Kilometers
24.95 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
18.17 mi
Kilometers
29.24 km
Drive Time
00h 29m

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 00h 29m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Athens
Wed, May 27, 2:39 AM EDT
Return by in Jefferson
Wed, May 27, 3:09 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Jefferson
2026-05-27T02:10
Arrive Athens
Wed, May 27, 2:39 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 29m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:30 AM to 7:30 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:30 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Jefferson
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Arcade
GA

City in Jackson County, Georgia, United States

From Jefferson
9.1 mi
00h 14m
To Athens
9.1 mi
00h 14m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
84°F
Wednesday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Wed, May 27 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph SW
Destination
84°F
Wednesday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Wed, May 27 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Jefferson and Athens.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Jefferson and Athens.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    58 m · 16 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Gordon Street

    103 m · 22 sec · Gordon Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Lee Street

    122 m · 12 sec · Lee Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Athens Street

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Athens Street

  5. 5

    Continue on Athens Highway

    2 mi · 3 min · Athens Highway

  6. 6

    At the end of the road, turn left

    14.5 mi · 22 min

  7. 7

    Continue on West Dougherty Street

    953 ft · 34 sec · West Dougherty Street

  8. 8

    Turn left onto North Lumpkin Street

    31 m · 3 sec · North Lumpkin Street

  9. 9

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Lumpkin Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Jefferson and Athens.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
9 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
49.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Athens Highway
1.97 mi · 11%
Athens Street
1.3 mi · 7%
West Dougherty Street
0.18 mi · 1%
Lee Street
0.08 mi
Gordon Street
0.06 mi
North Lumpkin Street
0.02 mi
Longest Stretch

Longest stretch

At the end of the road, turn left

14.5 mi · 00h 22m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 29m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 00m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.6 mi
15.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Arcade
00h 14m from Jefferson
Leave By
7:30 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely leaving Jefferson and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Athens.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Jefferson to Athens?

The road trip is about 18.1 miles (29.2 km) and usually takes 00h 29m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Arcade is a useful midpoint, sitting about 9.1 miles from Jefferson and 9.1 miles from Athens.

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

The direct path is about 15.5 miles (24.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.6 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:30 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.54 one way or $5.07 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms Likely around Jefferson and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Athens.

Stop Ideas Near Arcade

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Arcade, 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 Arcade.

RAIL

Gainesville

33 mi away
116 Industrial Boulevard
RAIL

Toccoa

60 mi away
47 North Alexander St.
RAIL

Peachtree Station

83 mi away
1688 Peachtree Street, NW
RAIL

Clemson

95 mi away
Calhoun Memorial Hwy and College Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Jefferson and Athens. Straight-line distance: 15.5 mi (24.95 km).

Jefferson

#1 Jefferson

City in Jackson County, Georgia, United States

Population12,490
Coordinates34.1170500, -83.5723900
Altitude227
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Athens

Consolidated city-county and county seat of Clarke County, Georgia, United States

Population116,714
Coordinates33.9609500, -83.3779400
Altitude228
CountryUnited States
Start: Jefferson (-83.57239, 34.11705)
End: Athens (-83.37794, 33.96095)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 29 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 36m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 27m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 21m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 15m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.64 gal
2.43 L · about $2.54
Round trip
$5.07
1.28 gal · 4.86 L
Estimated CO2
5.7 kg one way
Round trip: 11.4 kg / 25 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $2.54 $5.07
Mid-grade $4.43 $2.83 $5.67
Premium $4.78 $3.06 $6.12
Diesel $5.62 $3.60 $7.20

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 Georgia · May 27, 2026

There is no time difference between Jefferson and Athens. The current time is 02:10:09.

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.