How far is Wilmington, NC from Sumter, SC?

The driving distance from Wilmington, NC to Sumter, SC is about 170.9 miles (275.1 km), with a travel time of about 03h 20m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 138.8 miles (223.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 41m 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
170.93 mi
03h 20m
Flight
138.78 mi
223.34 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
138.78 mi
Kilometers
223.34 km
Flight Time
00h 16m

Driving Distance

Road route
170.93 mi
Kilometers
275.09 km
Drive Time
03h 20m

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 20m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Sumter
Sun, Aug 23, 10:01 AM EDT
Return by in Wilmington
Sun, Aug 23, 1:22 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Wilmington
2026-08-23T06:41
Arrive Sumter
Sun, Aug 23, 10:01 AM EDT
Route Timing
03h 20m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:21 AM to 11:21 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
10:18 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Wilmington
9:00 PM EDT
Early departure recommended

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
McDonald
NC

Town in North Carolina, USA

From Wilmington
85.4 mi
01h 40m
To Sumter
85.5 mi
01h 40m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
91°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sun, Aug 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 7 mph W
Destination
92°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Aug 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 6 mph W

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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

    14.9 mi · 17 min · American Indian Highway

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward I 95 South, US 301 South: Florence

    3028 ft · 1 min

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on I 95 South, US 301 South: Florence

    1.1 km · 1 min

  8. 8

    Merge slight left

    75.3 mi · 1 hr 21 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward US 378: Sumter, Turbeville

    1617 ft · 39 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Myrtle Beach Highway

    11.9 mi · 15 min · Myrtle Beach Highway

  11. 11

    Keep slight right to continue on Robert E Graham Freeway

    1 mi · 1 min · Robert E Graham Freeway

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right

    89 m · 7 sec

  13. 13

    Continue on Nort Pike East

    1170 ft · 26 sec · Nort Pike East

  14. 14

    Turn left onto Florence Highway

    68 m · 4 sec · Florence Highway

  15. 15

    Continue on East Liberty Street

    2.1 mi · 3 min · East Liberty Street

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Liberty Street

Car Route Details

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

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
16 steps
2 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 95 South
76.6 mi · 45%
Andrew Jackson Highway
60.1 mi · 35%
American Indian Highway
14.9 mi · 9%
Myrtle Beach Highway
11.9 mi · 7%
East Liberty Street
2.09 mi · 1%
Robert E Graham Freeway
1.07 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 95 South

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 20m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
06h 42m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+32.1 mi
138.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
McDonald
01h 40m from Wilmington
Leave By
10:18 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Wilmington and Sunny near Sumter.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 170.9 miles (275.1 km) and usually takes 03h 20m 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?

McDonald is a useful midpoint, sitting about 85.4 miles from Wilmington and 85.5 miles from Sumter.

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

The direct path is about 138.8 miles (223.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 32.1 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 10:18 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $23.88 one way or $47.77 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 53.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Wilmington and Sunny near Sumter.

Stop Ideas Near McDonald

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

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

RAIL

Dillon

23 mi away
100 North Railroad Avenue
RAIL

Hamlet

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

Fayetteville

62 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 Wilmington and Sumter. Straight-line distance: 138.78 mi (223.34 km).

Wilmington

#1 Wilmington

The largest city in the state of North Carolina.

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

#2 Sumter

City in and county seat of Sumter County, South Carolina, United States

Population39,439
Coordinates33.9204400, -80.3414700
Altitude52
CountryUnited States
Start: Wilmington (-77.94471, 34.22573)
End: Sumter (-80.34147, 33.92044)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 275 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)05h 41m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 16m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 25m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 50m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 26m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 07m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.03 gal
22.83 L · about $23.88
Round trip
$47.77
12.06 gal · 45.66 L
Estimated CO2
53.6 kg one way
Round trip: 107.2 kg / 236 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $23.88 $47.77
Mid-grade $4.43 $26.71 $53.41
Premium $4.78 $28.81 $57.62
Diesel $5.62 $33.91 $67.83

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 · Aug 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Wilmington and Sumter. The current time is 06:41:10.

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.