How far is Stafford, TX from Houston, TX?

The driving distance from Stafford, TX to Houston, TX is about 18.8 miles (30.3 km), with a travel time of about 00h 30m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 15.5 miles (24.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 00m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT.
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
18.85 mi
00h 30m
Flight
15.48 mi
24.92 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Stafford.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
15.48 mi
Kilometers
24.92 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
18.85 mi
Kilometers
30.34 km
Drive Time
00h 30m

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 30m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Houston
Mon, Apr 20, 2:36 AM CDT
Return by in Stafford
Mon, Apr 20, 3:06 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Stafford
2026-04-20T02:06
Arrive Houston
Mon, Apr 20, 2:36 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 30m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:30 AM to 7:30 PM CDT

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 CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Stafford
10:00 PM CDT
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
Bellaire
TX

Village in Belmont County, Ohio, United States

From Stafford
9.3 mi
00h 15m
To Houston
9.6 mi
00h 15m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
71°F
Monday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Mon, Apr 20 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 mph E
Destination
68°F
Monday

Mostly Cloudy then Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Mon, Apr 20 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 mph E

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    34 m · 11 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto North Main Street

    2340 ft · 55 sec · North Main Street

  3. 3

    Take the exit right

    1381 ft · 26 sec

  4. 4

    Turn straight onto Murphy Road

    2 mi · 4 min · Murphy Road

  5. 5

    Turn right onto Southwest Freeway Frontage Road

    1.4 mi · 2 min · Southwest Freeway Frontage Road

  6. 6

    Take the ramp slight left toward US 59 North, I 69 North

    919 ft · 23 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Southwest Freeway

    11.4 mi · 14 min · Southwest Freeway

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on Richmond Avenue, Downtown via Louisiana Street

    1.4 km · 1 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward Downtown, Louisiana Street

    47 m · 4 sec

  10. 10

    Continue on Louisiana Street

    1.9 mi · 5 min · Louisiana Street

  11. 11

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Louisiana Street

Car Route Details

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

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
11 steps
3 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
58.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Southwest Freeway
11.4 mi · 60%
Murphy Road
1.99 mi · 11%
Louisiana Street
1.89 mi · 10%
Southwest Freeway Frontage Road
1.42 mi · 8%
Richmond Avenue
0.87 mi · 5%
North Main Street
0.7 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Southwest Freeway

Merge slight left onto Southwest Freeway

11.4 mi · 00h 14m

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 30m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 00m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.3 mi
15.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Bellaire
00h 15m from Stafford
Leave By
7:30 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Chance Rain Showers leaving Stafford and Mostly Cloudy then Chance Rain Showers near Houston.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 18.8 miles (30.3 km) and usually takes 00h 30m 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?

Bellaire is a useful midpoint, sitting about 9.3 miles from Stafford and 9.6 miles from Houston.

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 3.3 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 CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:30 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.53 one way or $5.06 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Rain Showers around Stafford and Mostly Cloudy then Chance Rain Showers near Houston.

Stop Ideas Near Bellaire

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

Mid-route Guidance
These suggestions come from reviewed places and nearby services around Bellaire and the surrounding midpoint area.
Hermann Square
Scenic stop 8 mi away

Hermann Square

Houston , TX
900 Bagby St, Houston, TX 77002
Rating 4.5/5 604 reviews Tourist attraction,Park
Houston BCycle: City Hall
Practical stop 8 mi away

Houston BCycle: City Hall

Houston , TX
473 McKinney St, Houston, TX 77002
Rating 3.8/5 8 reviews Bicycle rental service,Non-profit organization
Houston City Hall
Meeting point 8 mi away

Houston City Hall

Houston , TX
901 Bagby St, Houston, TX 77002
Rating 4.3/5 103 reviews City Hall
Houston Police Department Westside
Nearby stop 6.6 mi away

Houston Police Department Westside

Houston , TX
3203 S Dairy Ashford Rd, Houston, TX 77082
Rating 2.8/5 75 reviews Police department,Police station

Transit and Meeting Points

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

BUS

Houston, TX

10 mi away
2121 Main Street
RAIL

Houston

11 mi away
902 Washington Ave.
BUS

Prairie View, TX

66 mi away
44814 US Highway 290 Business \r\n
BUS

Galveston (Texas Eagle Bus), Texas

80 mi away
25th St. and Strand St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Stafford and Houston. Straight-line distance: 15.48 mi (24.92 km).

Stafford

#1 Stafford

City in Texas

Population17,052
Coordinates29.6160700, -95.5577200
Altitude26
CountryUnited States
Houston

#2 Houston

The fourth most populous city in the United States and the center of the Houston metropolitan area.

Population2,316,120
Coordinates29.7632800, -95.3632700
Altitude12
CountryUnited States
Start: (-95.557705, 29.616108)
End: Louisiana Street (-95.363596, 29.76347)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 30 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 37m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 28m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 22m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 16m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 14m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.67 gal
2.52 L · about $2.53
Round trip
$5.06
1.34 gal · 5.04 L
Estimated CO2
6 kg one way
Round trip: 11.9 kg / 26 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.78 $2.53 $5.06
Mid-grade $4.25 $2.85 $5.70
Premium $4.59 $3.08 $6.15
Diesel $3.99 $2.68 $5.35

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 Texas · Apr 20, 2026

There is no time difference between Stafford and Houston. The current time is 02:06:41.

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.