How far is Lawrence, MA from Acton, MA?

The driving distance from Lawrence, MA to Acton, MA is about 25.5 miles (41 km), with a travel time of about 00h 37m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 20.6 miles (33.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 14m 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
25.51 mi
00h 37m
Flight
20.57 mi
33.11 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lawrence.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
20.57 mi
Kilometers
33.11 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
25.51 mi
Kilometers
41.05 km
Drive Time
00h 37m

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 37m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Acton
Wed, Apr 15, 4:34 AM EDT
Return by in Lawrence
Wed, Apr 15, 5:11 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lawrence
2026-04-15T03:57
Arrive Acton
Wed, Apr 15, 4:34 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 37m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:37 AM to 7:37 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:16 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Lawrence
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
Chelmsford
MA

Town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States

From Lawrence
12.7 mi
00h 18m
To Acton
12.7 mi
00h 18m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
71°F
Wednesday

Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 2:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 to 9 mph NE
Destination
74°F
Wednesday

Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 2:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 to 9 mph NE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Lawrence and Acton.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lawrence and Acton.

  1. 1

    Start on Essex Street

    25 m · 6 sec · Essex Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Amesbury Street

    2276 ft · 50 sec · Amesbury Street

  3. 3

    Continue on Parker Street

    2490 ft · 56 sec · Parker Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Winthrop Avenue

    1401 ft · 36 sec · Winthrop Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn right onto South Union Street

    2720 ft · 54 sec · South Union Street

  6. 6

    Continue on Connector Road

    1243 ft · 25 sec · Connector Road

  7. 7

    Turn straight onto South Broadway

    50 m · 4 sec · South Broadway

  8. 8

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 495 South: Lowell, Marlboro

    1786 ft · 45 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left

    9.2 mi · 11 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward US 3: Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire

    1068 ft · 14 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on US 3: Burlington, Nashua New Hampshire

    1320 ft · 17 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight left

    1931 ft · 25 sec

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on I 495 South: Marlboro

    2589 ft · 34 sec

  14. 14

    Merge slight left

    5 mi · 6 min

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward Westford

    1403 ft · 30 sec

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on Boston Road, Nashoba Valley Ski Area

    58 m · 12 sec

  17. 17

    Turn left onto Boston Road

    1824 ft · 43 sec · Boston Road

  18. 18

    Turn right onto Littleton Road

    1.6 km · 2 min · Littleton Road

  19. 19

    Turn left onto Powers Road

    1.8 mi · 3 min · Powers Road

  20. 20

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Great Road

    2.7 mi · 5 min · Great Road

  21. 21

    Turn right onto Main Street

    1.4 mi · 3 min · Main Street

  22. 22

    Turn sharp left onto Concord Road

    99 m · 9 sec · Concord Road

  23. 23

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Concord Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Lawrence and Acton.

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
23 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
90.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 495 South
15.1 mi · 59%
Great Road
2.75 mi · 11%
Powers Road
1.8 mi · 7%
Main Street
1.4 mi · 5%
Littleton Road
0.99 mi · 4%
US 3
0.82 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

I 495 South

Merge slight left

9.25 mi · 00h 11m

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 37m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 14m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.9 mi
20.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Chelmsford
00h 18m from Lawrence
Leave By
7:16 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers leaving Lawrence and Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers near Acton.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Lawrence to Acton?

The road trip is about 25.5 miles (41 km) and usually takes 00h 37m 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?

Chelmsford is a useful midpoint, sitting about 12.7 miles from Lawrence and 12.7 miles from Acton.

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

The direct path is about 20.6 miles (33.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.9 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 7:16 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.50 one way or $7.00 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers around Lawrence and Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers near Acton.

Stop Ideas Near Chelmsford

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

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

RAIL

Anderson Regional Transportation Center

21 mi away
100 Atlantic Ave.
BUS

Nashua, NH

24 mi away
8 North Southwood Drive
RAIL

Haverhill station

30 mi away
Washington Street at Railroad Square
RAIL

Framingham station

36 mi away
417 Waverly St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lawrence and Acton. Straight-line distance: 20.57 mi (33.11 km).

Lawrence

#1 Lawrence

The third most populous city in Massachusetts.

Population80,007
Coordinates42.7070400, -71.1631100
Altitude14
CountryUnited States
Acton

#2 Acton

Town in Massachusetts, United States

Population23,503
Coordinates42.4850900, -71.4328400
Altitude81
CountryUnited States
Start: Lawrence (-71.16311, 42.70704)
End: Acton (-71.43284, 42.48509)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 41 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 50m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 38m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 30m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 25m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 21m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 19m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.9 gal
3.41 L · about $3.50
Round trip
$7.00
1.8 gal · 6.82 L
Estimated CO2
8 kg one way
Round trip: 16 kg / 35 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.89 $3.50 $7.00
Mid-grade $4.40 $3.96 $7.91
Premium $4.80 $4.32 $8.64
Diesel $4.49 $4.04 $8.08

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 Massachusetts · Apr 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Lawrence and Acton. The current time is 03:57:39.

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.