Minneapolis to Milwaukee distance
Minneapolis and Milwaukee are 299 miles (481 km) apart in a straight line and 337 miles (543 km) apart by road: about 6 hr 15 min of driving without stops, mostly on I-94. Below you’ll find the route map, both halfway points, the bearing and where every figure comes from.
By the All Map Tools Team
- By road
- 337 mi (543 km)
- Driving time
- 6 hr 15 min
- Straight line
- 299 mi (481 km)
- Driving route
- Straight line
- Straight-line midpoint
- Halfway by road
Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on the midpoint. Route: FOSSGIS OSRM with data © OpenStreetMap contributors, calculated on November 1, 2026; simplified line.
The figures
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Straight line | 299 mi (481 km) geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid |
| By road | 337 mi (543 km) fastest driving route (OSRM) |
| Driving time | 6 hr 15 min no stops, no traffic |
| Road detour | +13% 1.13 times the straight line |
| Average speed | 54 mph (87 km/h) along the route, without stops |
| Bearing | 115° (southeast) leaving Minneapolis toward Milwaukee |
| Midpoint | 44.0409° N, 90.5414° W near Tunnel City (Wisconsin) |
| Halfway by road | Near Tunnel City (Wisconsin) 169 mi from each city by road |
| Time difference | None both share the same time |
| Elevation | Minneapolis: 830 ft (253 m) · Milwaukee: 615 ft (187 m) USGS 3DEP |
| Population | Minneapolis: 430,324 · Milwaukee: 562,407 Census Bureau estimate for 2025 |
Minneapolis to Milwaukee by road
The fastest driving route is 337 miles (543 km) long and takes about 6 hr 15 min without stops or traffic. Almost all of it is on I-94: 334 mi of 337 mi.
It goes through 2 states: Minnesota (26.3 mi) and Wisconsin (311 mi). That’s an average of 54 mph (87 km/h). AAA recommends a break every two hours or 100 miles: with 3 stops of 20 minutes, the trip takes about 7 hr 15 min. The time is OSRM’s estimate with OpenStreetMap data: no traffic and speeds somewhat below the limits, so real trips can differ.
Straight-line distance and bearing
In a straight line, the shortest distance over the Earth’s surface, Minneapolis and Milwaukee are 299 miles (481 km) apart. That’s the geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid, the distance “as the crow flies”.
The road is 13% longer: for every 100 miles in a straight line you drive 113. That’s a normal detour between two cities. Of the 110 US driving pairs in this series, it ranks 62nd for detour (the average is 16%).
From Minneapolis, Milwaukee lies to the southeast (bearing 115°), and from Milwaukee, Minneapolis lies to the northwest. The straight line reaches Milwaukee on a bearing of 119°: on a sphere the bearing keeps changing along the way, which is why the shortest route looks slightly curved on a flat map.
Halfway between Minneapolis and Milwaukee
Halfway along the straight line, 149 miles (240 km) from each city, is the point 44.0409° N, 90.5414° W. It falls near Tunnel City (Wisconsin, pop. 105), 2.8 mi away.
By road, the halfway point is 169 miles (271 km) from each city, near Tunnel City (Wisconsin, pop. 105), 3.2 mi away. The two midpoints almost coincide (2.1 mi apart), because the road doesn’t stray far from the straight line.
Time zone and flight
Minneapolis and Milwaukee share the same time all year: both are on Central Time.
No flight time is given: under 500 km (311 miles) in a straight line, time at the airport outweighs time in the air.
The two cities
Minneapolis sits at 830 ft (253 m) and Milwaukee at 615 ft (187 m), 215 ft (66 m) lower.
Minneapolis has 430,324 people and Milwaukee 562,407 people (Census Bureau estimate for 2025).
Frequently asked questions
How many miles is it from Minneapolis to Milwaukee?
299 miles (481 km) in a straight line and 337 miles (543 km) by road on the fastest route (mostly on I-94).
How long is the drive from Minneapolis to Milwaukee?
About 6 hr 15 min without stops or traffic, according to OSRM with OpenStreetMap data; with 3 stops of 20 minutes, about 7 hr 15 min.
Where is the halfway point between Minneapolis and Milwaukee?
In a straight line, near Tunnel City (Wisconsin). By road, 169 mi from each city, near Tunnel City (Wisconsin).
Are Minneapolis and Milwaukee in the same time zone?
Yes: both are on Central Time all year.
Which city is higher, Minneapolis or Milwaukee?
Minneapolis, at 830 ft (253 m); Milwaukee sits at 615 ft (187 m).
Measure it yourself on the map
The same two cities, already set up in the tools: move the points, get the route by bike or on foot and download the map.
- Distance between two points Measure the distance between any two places or points on the map, in miles or kilometers.
- Straight line vs driving distance Compare the as-the-crow-flies distance with the real driving distance and see how much the road adds.
- Halfway point Find the exact halfway point between two places and see it on the map, ready to share.
Similar pairs
The ones in this series whose cities are closest to these two, in case another one suits you better.
More distances from Minneapolis
All distancesMore distances from Milwaukee
Sources
- Driving route: FOSSGIS OSRM, car profile (calculated on November 1, 2026) · FOSSGIS e.V.
- Roads, streets and places · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Straight line, bearings and midpoint (geodesics on the WGS84 ellipsoid) · GeographicLib (C. F. F. Karney)
- US city centers (GNIS) and their elevation (3DEP) · USGS (public domain)
- Population estimates, Vintage 2025 · US Census Bureau (public domain)
- Places near the midpoints: All Map Tools gazetteer (GeoNames, INE, IGN and Census) · All Map Tools
- Time zones (timezone-boundary-builder outlines and the IANA database) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Map: provinces (IGN), states (US Census Bureau) and countries (Natural Earth) · IGN, Census and Natural Earth
- Methodology