Origin
Carthage, MO
Morning in Carthage on Friday
Local time
11:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Carthage, MO to Joplin, MO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
25m
Distance
16.3 mi
26 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Fair
4 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 30m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carthage, MO
Valeria Boltneva
Joplin, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 16.3-mile drive from Carthage, MO, to Joplin, MO, is easily manageable within a single day, taking only about 25 minutes. The route primarily utilizes I-49 Business, North Main Street Road, and West Macarthur Drive, offering a mixed driving experience. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $3, this trip is budget-friendly for a short excursion. Given its brevity, you won't need to split this into an overnight journey. Both Carthage and Joplin are nestled in the Midwest region, so you'll experience a consistent regional feel throughout this straightforward hop.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 25m. Total distance: 16.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (48%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
Expect a drive that's about 48% highway, blending faster-paced sections with more local road cruising. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 7.8 miles on I-49 Business, offering a good period of consistent speed. As you transition between roads like I-49 Business and North Main Street Road, you'll notice the character shifting from a more open highway feel to potentially more developed or urban stretches. This mixed profile means you'll experience a bit of everything behind the wheel, keeping the journey dynamic for its short duration.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 49 Business is the longest continuous segment at about 7.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US Historic 66; MO 96 / East Central Avenue.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 25m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US Historic 66; MO 96 / East Central Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (I 49 Business; MO 96; MO 171): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.1 miles (I 49 Business; MO 171): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US Historic 66; MO 96 / East Central Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto US Historic 66; MO 96 / East Central Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
1.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 49 Business; MO 96; MO 171
Continue onto I 49 Business; MO 96; MO 171 toward I 49 Business, MO 96 West, MO 171 North: Webb City
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 49 Business, MO 96 West, MO 171 North:...
6
8.1 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 49 Business; MO 171
Keep slight right at fork onto I 49 Business; MO 171 toward I 49 Business, MO 171 North: Webb City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 49 Business, MO 171 North: Webb City
5
9.2 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 49 Business; MO 171 / East MacArthur Drive
Enter roundabout onto I 49 Business; MO 171 / East MacArthur Drive
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
16.3 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 49 Business | 7.8 mi | 8m |
| North Main Street Road | 4.1 mi | 8m |
| West Macarthur Drive | 2 mi | 3m |
| East Central Avenue | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| East MacArthur Drive | 1 mi | 1m |
| South Grant Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 49 Business
— 7.8 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carthage, MO and Joplin, MO.
1
Start on South Grant Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
South Grant Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto US Historic 66; MO 96
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
East Central Avenue
3
Continue on I 49 Business; MO 96; MO 171
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
I 49 Business; MO 96; MO 171
Toward I 49 Business, MO 96 West, MO 171 North: Webb City
Use the straight lane.
4
Keep slight right at fork onto I 49 Business; MO 171
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
I 49 Business; MO 171
Toward I 49 Business, MO 171 North: Webb City
5
Enter roundabout onto I 49 Business; MO 171
235 ft
·
3 sec
·
East MacArthur Drive
6
Continue on I 49 Business; MO 171
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East MacArthur Drive
7
Continue on MO 171
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
West Macarthur Drive
8
Enter roundabout onto MO 43
254 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Main Street Road
9
Continue on MO 43
4.0 mi
·
8 min
·
North Main Street Road
10
Turn left
60 ft
·
6 sec
11
Turn right
83 ft
·
6 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.55 one way
$5.10 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.80 | $5.60 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.14 | $6.27 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.60 | $7.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.71 | $0.78 |
| Efficient EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.43 | $0.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.28 | $1.04 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Joplin, MO
Morning in Joplin on Friday
Local time
11:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
25m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Carthage, MO to Joplin, MO covers 16.3 miles and takes about 25m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 49 Business, North Main Street Road, West Macarthur Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.2 miles from Carthage, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.55 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a straightforward 25m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US Historic 66; MO 96 / East Central Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (I 49 Business; MO 96; MO 171): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.1 miles (I 49 Business; MO 171): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Carthage, MO to Joplin, MO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Joplin, MO
More from Carthage, MO
More trips to Joplin, MO
Explore more options from Carthage, MO or browse trips ending in Joplin, MO.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MO road trips.