How far is Worcester, MA from Sterling, MA?

The driving distance from Worcester, MA to Sterling, MA is about 14.4 miles (23.1 km), with a travel time of about 00h 20m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 12.3 miles (19.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 41m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
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
14.35 mi
00h 20m
Flight
12.28 mi
19.76 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Worcester.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
12.28 mi
Kilometers
19.76 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
14.35 mi
Kilometers
23.1 km
Drive Time
00h 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 00h 20m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Sterling
Wed, Apr 15, 6:04 PM EDT
Return by in Worcester
Wed, Apr 15, 6:25 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Worcester
2026-04-15T17:43
Arrive Sterling
Wed, Apr 15, 6:04 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 20m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:21 AM to 7:21 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:48 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Worcester
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

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
West Boylston
MA

City in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States of America

From Worcester
7.2 mi
00h 10m
To Sterling
7.2 mi
00h 10m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
81°F
Wednesday

Slight Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 9 mph S
Destination
58°F
Overnight

Mostly Clear

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 3:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Worcester and Sterling.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Worcester and Sterling.

  1. 1

    Start on Main Street

    3267 ft · 1 min · Main Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Lincoln Square

    47 m · 4 sec · Lincoln Square

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Lincoln Street

    1421 ft · 31 sec · Lincoln Street

  4. 4

    Take the exit slight right toward I 290 East: Marlboro

    1324 ft · 32 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    3247 ft · 55 sec

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward I 190 North, MA 70: Sterling, Leominster, Burncoat Street, Lincoln Street

    788 ft · 14 sec

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on I 190 North: Sterling, Leominster

    1897 ft · 33 sec

  8. 8

    Continue straight

    8.4 mi · 10 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward MA 140: West Boylston, Princeton

    1683 ft · 42 sec

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Redemption Rock Trail

    1863 ft · 34 sec · Redemption Rock Trail

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Dana Hill Road

    2401 ft · 59 sec · Dana Hill Road

  12. 12

    Continue on Muddy Pond Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Muddy Pond Road

  13. 13

    Continue on Greenland Road

    1023 ft · 25 sec · Greenland Road

  14. 14

    Turn straight onto Worcester Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Worcester Road

  15. 15

    Continue on Main Street

    664 ft · 24 sec · Main Street

  16. 16

    Turn left onto Meetinghouse Hill Road

    17 m · 2 sec · Meetinghouse Hill Road

  17. 17

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Meetinghouse Hill Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Worcester and Sterling.

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
17 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
118.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 190 North
8.88 mi · 62%
Worcester Road
1.15 mi · 8%
Muddy Pond Road
1.09 mi · 8%
I 290 East
0.87 mi · 6%
Main Street
0.75 mi · 5%
Dana Hill Road
0.45 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

I 190 North

Continue straight

8.37 mi · 00h 10m

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 20m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 42m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.1 mi
12.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
West Boylston
00h 10m from Worcester
Leave By
7:48 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Rain Showers leaving Worcester and Mostly Clear near Sterling.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Worcester to Sterling?

The road trip is about 14.4 miles (23.1 km) and usually takes 00h 20m 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?

West Boylston is a useful midpoint, sitting about 7.2 miles from Worcester and 7.2 miles from Sterling.

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

The direct path is about 12.3 miles (19.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.1 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:48 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.98 one way or $3.97 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 4.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Rain Showers around Worcester and Mostly Clear near Sterling.

Stop Ideas Near West Boylston

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

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

RAIL

Union Station

12 mi away
2 Washington Square
RAIL

Framingham station

32 mi away
417 Waverly St.
BUS

Nashua, NH

52 mi away
8 North Southwood Drive
RAIL

Route 128 station

55 mi away
50 University Ave

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Worcester and Sterling. Straight-line distance: 12.28 mi (19.76 km).

Worcester

#1 Worcester

The second most populous city in Massachusetts.

Population184,570
Coordinates42.2625900, -71.8022900
Altitude147
CountryUnited States
Sterling

#2 Sterling

Town in Massachusetts

Population8,166
Coordinates42.4375900, -71.7606300
Altitude153
CountryUnited States
Start: Worcester (-71.80229, 42.26259)
End: Sterling (-71.76063, 42.43759)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 23 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 28m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 21m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 17m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 14m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 12m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 10m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.51 gal
1.92 L · about $1.98
Round trip
$3.97
1.02 gal · 3.84 L
Estimated CO2
4.5 kg one way
Round trip: 9.1 kg / 20 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.89 $1.98 $3.97
Mid-grade $4.40 $2.24 $4.48
Premium $4.80 $2.45 $4.89
Diesel $4.49 $2.29 $4.58

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 Massachusetts · Apr 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Worcester and Sterling. The current time is 17:43:41.

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.