Monett to Joplin is 39.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 4 minutes via North Central Avenue and I 44 Business, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region of Missouri, offering a straightforward drive between two local communities. It's a practical option if you're looking for a quick transit or a simple way to connect these two points without a significant time commitment. Consider this route for its ease and directness.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
North Central Avenue
17.4 mi
30m
Congressman Gene Taylor Highway
10.4 mi
11m
I 44 Business
9.1 mi
18m
Blackberry Road
2 mi
3m
High Street
0.3 mi
<1m
South Main Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
West Cleveland Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
North Central Avenue
— 17.4 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Monett, MO and Joplin, MO.
1
Start on West Cleveland Avenue
93 ft·9 sec·West Cleveland Avenue
2
Turn left onto MO 37
17 mi·30 min·North Central Avenue
3
Turn left onto I 44 Business; MO 37
0.3 mi·26 sec·High Street
4
Continue on I 44 Business; MO 37
2.0 mi·3 min·Blackberry Road
5
Turn right onto I 44 Business; MO 37
0.5 mi·1 min·I 44 Business; MO 37
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·32 sec
Toward I 44 West: Joplin
7
Merge onto I 44
10 mi·11 min·Congressman Gene Taylor Highway
8
Take the exit onto I 44 Business; MO 66
8.5 mi·17 min·I 44 Business; MO 66
Exit 15Toward I 44 Business, MO 66: Duenweg, JoplinUse the straight / right lanes.
9
Turn right onto US Historic 66; MO 43
156 ft·7 sec·South Main Street
10
Turn right
60 ft·6 sec
11
Turn right
83 ft·6 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 19.7 miles from Monett, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 17.4 and 39.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
17.4 mi into trip|~30m in|I 44 Business; MO 37 / High Street
Turn left onto I 44 Business; MO 37 / High Street
Navigation decision point
5
20.2 mi into trip|~35m in
Take the ramp toward I 44 West: Joplin
Navigation decision point
Toward I 44 West: Joplin
8
30.8 mi into trip|~47m in|I 44 Business; MO 66
Take the exit onto I 44 Business; MO 66 toward I 44 Business, MO 66: Duenweg, Joplin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 15
Toward I 44 Business, MO 66: Duenweg, Joplin
5
39.4 mi into trip|~1h 4m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
5
39.4 mi into trip|~1h 4m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.16 one way
$12.32 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg14 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$6.76
$13.53
premium
$4.89
$7.58
$15.16
diesel
$5.61
$8.70
$17.40
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging
· 0 stops
· 64% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
11.8
0
$4.14
$1.89
Efficient EV
9.9
0
$3.45
$1.58
EV Truck/SUV
15.8
0
$5.52
$2.52
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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 18, 2026
Origin
Monett, MO
Morning
in Monett on Tuesday
Local time
8:16 AM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
N 16 mph88% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 2:43AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 2:07AM CDT until April 19 at 5:30PM CDT by NWS Springfield MO
Destination
Joplin, MO
Morning
in Joplin on Tuesday
Local time
8:16 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°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
28 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
1h 4m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for this 39.4-mile journey between Monett and Joplin. With only 23% of the route on highways, you'll navigate mostly local roads, including stretches of North Central Avenue and I 44 Business. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 17.4 miles on North Central Avenue, giving you a sense of the local driving experience before you reach the highway portions. This profile suggests a drive with frequent changes in direction and pace.
Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.4 mi on North Central Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 17.4 miles in near I 44 Business; MO 37 / High 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 1h 4m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 17.4 miles (I 44 Business; MO 37 / High Street): Navigation decision point; at 20.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 30.8 miles (I 44 Business; MO 66): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Joplin is in Southwest Missouri. It's mentioned in the song "Route 66". Joplin is the "hub" of the southwest corner of Missouri, southeast Kansas, and northeast Oklahoma. The population of Joplin in 2020 was 51,762, but, with several "suburbs" around Joplin, the population of the Joplin metro area was over 210,077.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.4 miles on North Central Avenue. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 17.4 miles (I 44 Business; MO 37 / High Street): Navigation decision point; at 20.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 30.8 miles (I 44 Business; MO 66): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — George Washington Carver 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 Joplin, MO before heading back.
