Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
24m
Distance
18.9 mi
30 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Houghton, IA
Quang Nguyen Vinh
New Boston, IA
Tom Fisk
Houghton, IA to New Boston, IA is 18.9 miles and takes about 24 minutes via Avenue of the Saints, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short Midwest drive connects two points within Iowa, making it a convenient option for a quick trip. Expect a straightforward route with minimal time commitment. The short distance means you can easily add this to a larger itinerary or complete it without feeling rushed.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenue of the Saints | 11.5 mi | 13m |
| US 218 | 5.2 mi | 8m |
| State Highway 16 | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Denning Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 277th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Houghton, IA and New Boston, IA.
Start on CR W55
Turn right onto IA 16
Continue on IA 16
Turn right onto US 218; IA 27
Take the exit onto US 218
Turn left onto US 218
Turn left onto 277th Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 18.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto IA 16 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto US 218; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Navigation decision point
Take the exit onto US 218 toward US 218 South: Keokuk
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Turn left onto US 218
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto 277th Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$3.14 one way
$6.28 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.60 | $3.42 | $6.85 |
| premium | $5.18 | $3.86 | $7.71 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $3.98 | $7.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.7 | 0 | $1.98 | $0.91 |
| Efficient EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.65 | $0.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.65 | $1.21 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Houghton on Wednesday
Local time
4:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Afternoon in New Boston on Wednesday
Local time
4:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Mostly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This drive is about 38% highway, with the longest continuous stretch on Avenue of the Saints spanning 11.5 miles. You'll transition from highway cruising to surface roads partway through your trip. The mixed highway and surface road profile means you'll experience both faster-paced driving and more local road conditions.
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 IA 16 / Main Street.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 24m drive. You will face about 5 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 (IA 16 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles (US 218; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Navigation decision point; at 13.6 miles (US 218): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
117 ft
Total Descent
138 ft
Highest Point
726 ft
~12.1 mi in
Elevation Range
50 ft
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 24m. Total distance: 18.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (38%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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