How far is Sumter County, SC from Wilmington, NC?

The driving distance from Sumter County, SC to Wilmington, NC is about 172.9 miles (278.2 km), with a travel time of about 03h 25m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 141.1 miles (227.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 51m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT.
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
172.9 mi
03h 25m
Flight
141.14 mi
227.14 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Sumter County.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
141.14 mi
Kilometers
227.14 km
Flight Time
00h 17m

Driving Distance

Road route
172.9 mi
Kilometers
278.25 km
Drive Time
03h 25m

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 03h 25m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Wilmington
Tue, Oct 20, 3:36 AM EDT
Return by in Sumter County
Tue, Oct 20, 7:02 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Sumter County
2026-10-20T00:11
Arrive Wilmington
Tue, Oct 20, 3:36 AM EDT
Route Timing
03h 25m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:26 AM to 11:26 AM EDT

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

Leave by
10:08 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Sumter County
9:00 PM EDT
Early departure recommended

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
Raynham
NC

Town in Robeson County, North Carolina, United States of America

From Sumter County
86.4 mi
01h 42m
To Wilmington
86.5 mi
01h 42m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
74°F
Tuesday

Sunny

Starts
Tue, Oct 20 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 to 10 mph N
Destination
73°F
Tuesday

Sunny

Starts
Tue, Oct 20 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
13 mph N

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Sumter County and Wilmington.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sumter County and Wilmington.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    39 m · 11 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Old West Liberty Street

    135 m · 20 sec · Old West Liberty Street

  3. 3

    Turn sharp right onto West Liberty Street

    3.5 mi · 6 min · West Liberty Street

  4. 4

    Turn slight right onto Myrtle Beach Highway

    2.6 mi · 4 min · Myrtle Beach Highway

  5. 5

    Continue straight

    11.7 mi · 15 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit left toward I 95 North: Florence

    1642 ft · 40 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left

    75.3 mi · 1 hr 21 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward I 74, US 74: Wilmington, Rockingham

    2677 ft · 1 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on I 74 East, US 74 East: Whiteville, Wilmington

    1.1 km · 1 min

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto American Indian Highway

    14.5 mi · 16 min · American Indian Highway

  11. 11

    Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    59.8 mi · 1 hr 13 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  12. 12

    Continue on Ocean Highway East

    3.1 mi · 4 min · Ocean Highway East

  13. 13

    Continue on Cape Fear Memorial Bridge

    1.2 km · 1 min · Cape Fear Memorial Bridge

  14. 14

    Turn left onto South 3rd Street

    551 ft · 15 sec · South 3rd Street

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South 3rd Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Sumter County and Wilmington.

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
15 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
2 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 95 North
75.6 mi · 44%
Andrew Jackson Highway
59.8 mi · 35%
American Indian Highway
14.5 mi · 8%
Myrtle Beach Highway
14.3 mi · 8%
West Liberty Street
3.47 mi · 2%
Ocean Highway East
3.11 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

I 95 North

Merge slight left

75.3 mi · 01h 21m

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
03h 25m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
06h 52m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+31.8 mi
141.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Raynham
01h 42m from Sumter County
Leave By
10:08 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Sumter County and Sunny near Wilmington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Sumter County to Wilmington?

The road trip is about 172.9 miles (278.2 km) and usually takes 03h 25m 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?

Raynham is a useful midpoint, sitting about 86.4 miles from Sumter County and 86.5 miles from Wilmington.

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

The direct path is about 141.1 miles (227.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 31.8 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 EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 10:08 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $23.40 one way or $46.80 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 54.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Sumter County and Sunny near Wilmington.

Stop Ideas Near Raynham

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

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

RAIL

Dillon

24 mi away
100 North Railroad Avenue
RAIL

Hamlet

57 mi away
West Main St. and North Bridges St.
RAIL

Fayetteville

60 mi away
472 Hay Street
RAIL

Florence

66 mi away
805 East Day Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Sumter County and Wilmington. Straight-line distance: 141.14 mi (227.14 km).

Sumter County

#1 Sumter County

County in South Carolina, United States

Population106,360
Coordinates33.9161700, -80.3823200
Altitude45
CountryUnited States
Wilmington

#2 Wilmington

The largest city in the state of North Carolina.

Population124,794
Coordinates34.2257300, -77.9447100
Altitude9
CountryUnited States
Start: Sumter County (-80.38232, 33.91617)
End: Wilmington (-77.94471, 34.22573)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 278 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)05h 45m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 19m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 27m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 52m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 28m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 09m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.1 gal
23.09 L · about $23.40
Round trip
$46.80
12.2 gal · 46.18 L
Estimated CO2
54.2 kg one way
Round trip: 108.4 kg / 239 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.84 $23.40 $46.80
Mid-grade $4.29 $26.16 $52.31
Premium $4.69 $28.62 $57.24
Diesel $5.84 $35.59 $71.19

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 South Carolina · Oct 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Sumter County and Wilmington. The current time is 00:11:10.

Distance to Other Cities

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