How far is Rochester Hills, MI from Southgate, MI?

The driving distance from Rochester Hills, MI to Southgate, MI is about 38.3 miles (61.7 km), with a travel time of about 00h 53m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 30.8 miles (49.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 46m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
38.35 mi
00h 53m
Flight
30.79 mi
49.55 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Rochester Hills.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
30.79 mi
Kilometers
49.55 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
38.35 mi
Kilometers
61.72 km
Drive Time
00h 53m

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 53m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Southgate
Tue, May 5, 5:47 AM EDT
Return by in Rochester Hills
Tue, May 5, 6:40 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Rochester Hills
2026-05-05T04:54
Arrive Southgate
Tue, May 5, 5:47 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 53m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:53 AM to 10:53 AM EDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:44 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Rochester Hills
9:30 PM EDT
Morning start is best

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
Hamtramck
MI

City in Michigan

From Rochester Hills
19.2 mi
00h 26m
To Southgate
19.2 mi
00h 26m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
62°F
Tuesday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Tue, May 5 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
10 mph W
Destination
64°F
Tuesday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Tue, May 5 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
12 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Rochester Hills and Southgate.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Rochester Hills and Southgate.

  1. 1

    Start on Dickson Lane

    1164 ft · 53 sec · Dickson Lane

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Downhill Lane

    115 m · 18 sec · Downhill Lane

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Dressler Lane

    60 m · 14 sec · Dressler Lane

  4. 4

    Turn left onto South Livernois Road

    1426 ft · 27 sec · South Livernois Road

  5. 5

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward South Livernois Road

    35 m · 2 sec · South Livernois Road

  6. 6

    Exit the roundabout onto South Livernois Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · South Livernois Road

  7. 7

    Turn left onto West Auburn Road

    1 mi · 2 min · West Auburn Road

  8. 8

    Turn right onto South Rochester Road

    5.3 mi · 9 min · South Rochester Road

  9. 9

    Take the ramp straight toward I 75 South: Detroit

    1324 ft · 32 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Walter P. Chrysler Freeway

    16.3 mi · 18 min · Walter P. Chrysler Freeway

  11. 11

    Keep slight right to continue on I 75: Toledo

    4.2 mi · 6 min

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on Fisher Freeway

    7 mi · 8 min · Fisher Freeway

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward Dix Highway

    2083 ft · 49 sec

  14. 14

    Turn straight onto Dix Highway

    1.3 mi · 3 min · Dix Highway

  15. 15

    Continue on Dix-Toledo Highway

    2883 ft · 1 min · Dix-Toledo Highway

  16. 16

    Turn slight right

    133 m · 18 sec

  17. 17

    Turn right onto Northline Road

    82 m · 8 sec · Northline Road

  18. 18

    Turn left onto Dix-Toledo Highway

    45 m · 7 sec · Dix-Toledo Highway

  19. 19

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Dix-Toledo Highway

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Rochester Hills and Southgate.

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
19 steps
11 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
1 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
49.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
16.3 mi · 43%
Fisher Freeway
7.02 mi · 18%
South Rochester Road
5.34 mi · 14%
I 75
4.16 mi · 11%
Dix Highway
1.74 mi · 5%
South Livernois Road
1.42 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Walter P. Chrysler Freeway

Merge slight left onto Walter P. Chrysler Freeway

16.3 mi · 00h 18m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
00h 53m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 46m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+7.5 mi
30.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Hamtramck
00h 26m from Rochester Hills
Leave By
4:44 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Rochester Hills and Showers And Thunderstorms near Southgate.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Rochester Hills to Southgate?

The road trip is about 38.3 miles (61.7 km) and usually takes 00h 53m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Hamtramck is a useful midpoint, sitting about 19.2 miles from Rochester Hills and 19.2 miles from Southgate.

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

The direct path is about 30.8 miles (49.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 7.5 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:44 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.09 one way or $10.18 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 12 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms around Rochester Hills and Showers And Thunderstorms near Southgate.

Stop Ideas Near Hamtramck

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

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

RAIL

Detroit

3 mi away
11 West Baltimore Ave.
RAIL

Royal Oak station

13 mi away
202 South Sherman Ave.
RAIL

John D. Dingell Transit Center

15 mi away
16121 Michigan Ave.
RAIL

Greenfield Village, Michigan

19 mi away
20900 Oakwood Blvd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Rochester Hills and Southgate. Straight-line distance: 30.79 mi (49.55 km).

Rochester Hills

#1 Rochester Hills

A city in Oakland County, Michigan.

Population74,111
Coordinates42.6583700, -83.1499300
Altitude251
CountryUnited States
Southgate

#2 Southgate

City in Wayne County in the state of Michigan

Population29,135
Coordinates42.2139300, -83.1938100
Altitude180
CountryUnited States
Start: Rochester Hills (-83.14993, 42.65837)
End: Southgate (-83.19381, 42.21393)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 62 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 16m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 57m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 46m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 38m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 32m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 28m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.35 gal
5.12 L · about $5.09
Round trip
$10.18
2.7 gal · 10.24 L
Estimated CO2
12 kg one way
Round trip: 24 kg / 53 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $5.09 $10.18
Mid-grade $4.25 $5.74 $11.48
Premium $4.65 $6.28 $12.57
Diesel $5.30 $7.16 $14.32

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 Michigan · May 05, 2026

There is no time difference between Rochester Hills and Southgate. The current time is 04:54:44.

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.