How far is Wilmington, NC from Canton, NC?

The driving distance from Wilmington, NC to Canton, NC is about 330.2 miles (531.4 km), with a travel time of about 06h 46m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 291.6 miles (469.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 13h 33m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 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
330.2 mi
06h 46m
Flight
291.62 mi
469.31 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Wilmington.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
291.62 mi
Kilometers
469.31 km
Flight Time
00h 35m

Driving Distance

Road route
330.2 mi
Kilometers
531.4 km
Drive Time
06h 46m

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 06h 46m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Canton
Sun, May 17, 5:21 AM EDT
Return by in Wilmington
Sun, May 17, 12:08 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Wilmington
2026-05-16T22:34
Arrive Canton
Sun, May 17, 5:21 AM EDT
Route Timing
06h 46m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:47 PM to 2:17 PM EDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
10:26 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Wilmington
8:00 PM EDT
Overnight-style route

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
Marshville
NC

Town in Union County, North Carolina, United States

From Wilmington
164.9 mi
03h 23m
To Canton
165.3 mi
03h 23m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
80°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, May 16 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
1 to 10 mph S
Destination
49°F
Overnight

Mostly Clear

Starts
Sat, May 16 12:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Wilmington and Canton.

  1. 1

    Start on South 3rd Street

    113 m · 14 sec · South 3rd Street

  2. 2

    Continue on South 3rd Street

    155 m · 23 sec · South 3rd Street

  3. 3

    Turn right

    3.5 mi · 5 min

  4. 4

    Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    60.1 mi · 1 hr 14 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  5. 5

    Continue on American Indian Highway

    33.6 mi · 37 min · American Indian Highway

  6. 6

    Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    20.2 mi · 23 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on G R Kindley Freeway

    14.4 mi · 15 min · G R Kindley Freeway

  8. 8

    Keep slight right to continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    11.6 mi · 15 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  9. 9

    Continue on East Caswell Street

    2.4 mi · 5 min · East Caswell Street

  10. 10

    Continue on Salisbury Street

    1.1 km · 1 min · Salisbury Street

  11. 11

    Continue on W. Cliff Martin Highway

    6.5 mi · 9 min · W. Cliff Martin Highway

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on W. Cliff Martin Highway

    6.3 mi · 9 min · W. Cliff Martin Highway

  13. 13

    Continue on Carroll M. Edwards Highway

    2.5 mi · 3 min · Carroll M. Edwards Highway

  14. 14

    Continue on East Marshville Boulevard

    2.9 mi · 5 min · East Marshville Boulevard

  15. 15

    Continue on Carroll M. Edwards Highway

    2247 ft · 35 sec · Carroll M. Edwards Highway

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on Monroe Expressway

    18.4 mi · 21 min · Monroe Expressway

  17. 17

    Merge slight right onto Independence Boulevard

    7.1 mi · 10 min · Independence Boulevard

  18. 18

    Continue on East Independence Expressway

    5.4 mi · 7 min · East Independence Expressway

  19. 19

    Continue on East Independence Boulevard

    1.1 km · 45 sec · East Independence Boulevard

  20. 20

    Merge slight left onto John Belk Freeway

    2.3 mi · 3 min · John Belk Freeway

  21. 21

    Take the exit straight toward NC 27: Freedom Drive

    2.5 mi · 4 min

  22. 22

    Take the ramp slight left

    1678 ft · 41 sec

  23. 23

    Merge slight left

    24.1 mi · 30 min

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight right toward US 74 West: Kings Mountain, Shelby

    3242 ft · 50 sec

  25. 25

    Continue on Senator J. Ollie Harris Highway

    7.6 mi · 9 min · Senator J. Ollie Harris Highway

  26. 26

    Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

    1.8 mi · 3 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  27. 27

    Continue on East Dixon Boulevard

    12 mi · 17 min · East Dixon Boulevard

  28. 28

    Take the ramp straight toward West Dixon Boulevard

    15.7 mi · 18 min · West Dixon Boulevard

  29. 29

    Continue on Lieutenant Governor Walter H Dalton Highway

    18.3 mi · 20 min · Lieutenant Governor Walter H Dalton Highway

  30. 30

    Merge slight left onto Andrew Jackson Highway

    34.3 mi · 41 min · Andrew Jackson Highway

  31. 31

    Take the exit slight left toward I 40 West, US 74: Canton, Knoxville

    8.6 mi · 11 min

  32. 32

    Take the exit slight right toward Candler, East Canton

    910 ft · 29 sec

  33. 33

    Turn left onto Wiggins Road

    621 ft · 15 sec · Wiggins Road

  34. 34

    Turn right onto Smokey Park Highway

    1.3 km · 1 min · Smokey Park Highway

  35. 35

    Continue on Asheville Highway

    3.7 mi · 5 min · Asheville Highway

  36. 36

    Continue on Ashville Highway

    763 ft · 19 sec · Ashville Highway

  37. 37

    Continue on Church Street

    1186 ft · 55 sec · Church Street

  38. 38

    Turn left

    45 m · 18 sec

  39. 39

    Turn left

    44 m · 11 sec

  40. 40

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
40 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
10
4 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
12.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Andrew Jackson Highway
128 mi · 39%
American Indian Highway
33.6 mi · 10%
NC 27
26.9 mi · 8%
Monroe Expressway
18.4 mi · 6%
Lieutenant Governor Walter H Dalton Highway
18.3 mi · 6%
West Dixon Boulevard
15.7 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Andrew Jackson Highway

Continue on Andrew Jackson Highway

60.1 mi · 01h 14m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
06h 46m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
13h 34m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+38.6 mi
291.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Marshville
03h 23m from Wilmington
Leave By
10:26 PM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Wilmington and Mostly Clear near Canton.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Wilmington to Canton?

The road trip is about 330.2 miles (531.4 km) and usually takes 06h 46m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Marshville is a useful midpoint, sitting about 164.9 miles from Wilmington and 165.3 miles from Canton.

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

The direct path is about 291.6 miles (469.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 38.6 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 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $46.15 one way or $92.29 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 103.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Wilmington and Mostly Clear near Canton.

Stop Ideas Near Marshville

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

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

RAIL

Charlotte

50 mi away
1914 North Tryon St.
RAIL

Kannapolis

62 mi away
201 South Main St.
RAIL

Hamlet

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

Salisbury

77 mi away
Depot and Liberty Sts.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Wilmington and Canton. Straight-line distance: 291.62 mi (469.31 km).

Wilmington

#1 Wilmington

The largest city in the state of North Carolina.

Population124,794
Coordinates34.2257300, -77.9447100
Altitude9
CountryUnited States
Canton

#2 Canton

Town in Haywood County, North Carolina, United States

Population4,369
Coordinates35.5328800, -82.8373600
Altitude797
CountryUnited States
Start: Wilmington (-77.94471, 34.22573)
End: Canton (-82.83736, 35.53288)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 531 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)11h 00m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 15m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 36m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 30m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 43m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 07m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
11.65 gal
44.11 L · about $46.15
Round trip
$92.29
23.3 gal · 88.22 L
Estimated CO2
103.5 kg one way
Round trip: 207.1 kg / 457 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $46.15 $92.29
Mid-grade $4.43 $51.60 $103.20
Premium $4.78 $55.66 $111.33
Diesel $5.62 $65.52 $131.04

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 North Carolina · May 17, 2026

There is no time difference between Wilmington and Canton. The current time is 22:34:33.

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.