Connecting Jackson and Starkville, this 126.1-mile journey is a straightforward trek through the heart of Mississippi. You can expect to spend about 2 hours and 30 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal candidate for a single-day trip. Budgeting approximately $19 for fuel should cover your travel costs comfortably. By utilizing Lakeland Drive to connect with MS Hwy 25, you bypass the need for complex detours. Since both cities reside within the Southeast region, the transitions between urban areas and the surrounding landscape remain consistent. Whether you are heading to Starkville for business or leisure, this route offers a reliable and efficient way to travel between these two hubs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
63.1 miles from Jackson, MS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 14m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
MS Hwy 25
79.6 mi
1h 30m
MS 25
27.8 mi
32m
Lakeland Drive
13.1 mi
16m
North State Street
2.3 mi
3m
MS 12
2.2 mi
4m
East Capitol Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Victory Lane
0.2 mi
<1m
Old Canton Road
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
MS Hwy 25
— 79.6 mi, about 1h 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jackson, MS and Starkville, MS.
1
Start on East Pearl Street
452 ft·15 sec·East Pearl Street
2
Turn right onto South Lamar Street
378 ft·10 sec·South Lamar Street
3
Enter roundabout onto East Capitol Street
7 ft·0 sec·East Capitol Street
4
Continue on East Capitol Street
0.1 mi·11 sec·East Capitol Street
5
Enter roundabout onto East Capitol Street
51 ft·1 sec·East Capitol Street
6
Continue on East Capitol Street
0.2 mi·32 sec·East Capitol Street
7
At end of road, turn left onto US 51
2.3 mi·3 min·North State Street
8
Turn slight right onto Old Canton Road
0.2 mi·16 sec·Old Canton Road
9
Turn right onto Lakeland Drive
13 mi·16 min·Lakeland Drive
10
Continue on MS 25
80 mi·1 hr 30 min·MS Hwy 25
11
Take the exit onto MS 25
25 mi·29 min·MS 25
12
Keep slight right at fork onto MS 25
2.4 mi·2 min·MS 25
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on MS 25
0.4 mi·28 sec·MS 25
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward MS 12: Starkville, AckermanUse the slight right lane.
15
Turn left onto MS 12
2.2 mi·4 min·MS 12
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn right onto Eckford Drive
0.1 mi·34 sec·Eckford Drive
17
Continue on Victory Lane
0.2 mi·38 sec·Victory Lane
18
Turn right
214 ft·17 sec
19
Turn right
290 ft·21 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Planning for this trip is simple given the manageable 2.5-hour duration, but you should still account for at least one planned stop to break up the drive. Since the majority of your time is spent on a long, continuous highway stretch, keeping an eye on your fuel gauge before leaving Jackson ensures you won't need to hunt for stations during the 79.6-mile segment. Aim to leave during off-peak hours to avoid potential congestion on Lakeland Drive as you exit the city. The flexibility of this shorter route means you can easily adjust your departure time to suit your schedule without worrying about an overnight split. Prioritize a quick mid-trip break to stay alert, as the consistency of the highway can make the drive feel repetitive.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 63.1 miles from Jackson, MS, or about 1h 14m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 79.6 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 28 miles or 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 63.1 miles or 1h 14m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Starkville, MS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Jackson, MS so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Jackson, MS
This is one driving day of about 126.1 miles and 2h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Jackson, MS.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on MS Hwy 25 for about 79.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 123.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|South Lamar Street
Turn right onto South Lamar Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|East Capitol Street
Enter roundabout onto East Capitol Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in|East Capitol Street
Enter roundabout onto East Capitol Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
120.5 mi into trip|~2h 20m in|MS 25
Keep slight right at fork onto MS 25
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
123.3 mi into trip|~2h 24m in
Take the exit toward MS 12: Starkville, Ackerman
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward MS 12: Starkville, Ackerman
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.04 one way
$38.09 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg44 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$20.91
$41.81
premium
$4.56
$22.63
$45.27
diesel
$5.61
$27.84
$55.68
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 44.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
37.8
0
$13.24
$6.05
Efficient EV
31.5
0
$11.03
$5.04
EV Truck/SUV
50.4
0
$17.65
$8.07
Gas CO2
44 kg
EV CO2
15 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 14, 2026
Origin
Jackson, MS
Late night
in Jackson on Tuesday
Local time
5:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Mostly Clear
S 5 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Starkville, MS
Late night
in Starkville on Tuesday
Local time
5:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
58°F
Carthage, MS
63 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
21 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
2h 30m on the road
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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument
National Monument
Medgar and Myrlie Evers were partners in the civil rights struggle. The assassination of Medgar Evers in the carport of their home on June 12, 1963, was the first murder of a nationally significant le...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is heavily focused on highway travel, with 87% of your time spent on main thoroughfares like MS 25. You will experience a significant, uninterrupted stretch of 79.6 miles on MS Hwy 25, allowing for a steady pace once you clear the initial city traffic. The road maintains a consistent character, favoring efficient highway transit over the winding, technical paths found on backroads. Because this is a highway-focused drive, the experience is predictable and well-suited for travelers who prefer minimizing local navigation. Expect a smooth transition from the capital city's outskirts into the more relaxed driving environment of the regional corridor.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 79.6 mi on MS Hwy 25.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MS Hwy 25 and MS 25. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Lamar Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 30m drive. You will face about 12 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 (South Lamar Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (East Capitol Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.3 miles (East Capitol Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Jackson is the capital of the state of Mississippi. While it may not offer much in terms of tourism today, Jackson can be used as a stopover for getting to other parts of the state or further.
Starkville is a city in East Mississippi. Mississippi State University is located just to the east of the city limits, and is included in this article.
The longest stretch is about 79.6 miles on MS Hwy 25. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 5 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Lamar Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (East Capitol Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.3 miles (East Capitol Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes — Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Starkville, MS before heading back.
