Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 29, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
23.4 mi
38 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Niles, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Hometown, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Niles, IL to Hometown, IL is 23.4 miles and takes about 40m via South Cicero Avenue, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward trip within the Midwest, specifically connecting two points in Illinois. It's primarily a surface road drive, making it easy to navigate for most drivers. Given its modest distance and duration, this route is ideal for a quick errand or a simple connection between towns without needing an overnight stay.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Cicero Avenue | 8.1 mi | 13m |
| North Pulaski Road | 7 mi | 13m |
| North Caldwell Avenue | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Edens Expressway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| West Cermak Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| West Howard Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West 87th Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Kennedy Expressway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Niles, IL and Hometown, IL.
Start on North Waukegan Road
Turn right onto West Howard Street
Turn right onto US 14
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 94
Continue on I 90; I 94
Take the exit
Continue on Kennedy Irving Park Road
Turn slight left onto IL 19
Turn right onto North Pulaski Road
At end of road, turn right onto West Belden Avenue
Turn left onto North Pulaski Road
Turn right onto West Cermak Road
Turn left onto IL 50
Turn left onto West 87th Street
Turn right onto South Kostner Avenue
Turn left onto West 87th Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.5 and 22.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 94 East
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 94 / Edens Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward IL 19: Irving Park Road, Keeler Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn left onto IL 50 / South Cicero Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto West 87th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$3.66 one way
$7.31 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.37 | $4.02 | $8.05 |
| premium | $4.88 | $4.49 | $8.99 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $4.93 | $9.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-27.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7 | 0 | $2.46 | $1.12 |
| Efficient EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.05 | $0.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.28 | $1.50 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Late night in Niles on Wednesday
Local time
2:43 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Mostly Cloudy
Destination
Late night in Hometown on Wednesday
Local time
2:43 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
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 route has minimal highway time, with only 11% on highways. The majority of your driving will be on surface streets, with the longest stretch on a single road being 8.1 miles on South Cicero Avenue. You'll notice a consistent urban feel with frequent intersections and traffic signals along the main thoroughfares. Expect to spend most of your time navigating city streets rather than open highway.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.5 miles in.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 23.4 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles (I 94 / Edens Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Founded 1832
Niles is a city of 30,912 (2020) in Illinois.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 23.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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