Austin · the midpoint
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. With a population of 961,855 at the 2020 census, it is the 12th-most populous city in the U.S., fifth-most populous city in Texas, and second-most populous U.S. Read more →
Meet halfway between Phoenix and Tampa
The fair place to meet is Austin, TX — the city closest to the midpoint of Phoenix and Tampa. From the farther side that’s about 19 hr 37 min of driving.
Recommended midpoint
Austin, TX
From Phoenix
18 hr 13 min
868 mi to Austin
From Tampa
19 hr 37 min
936 mi to Austin
Phoenix has the shorter trip; the split is off by about 1 hr 24 min. The alternatives below can even it out. Phoenix and Tampa are about 1,794 miles apart.
More meetups from Phoenix
Meeting in Austin
Phoenix and Tampa are about 1,794 miles apart by road. Split the difference and you arrive near Austin, the city closest to the halfway point between them. That puts roughly 18 hr 13 min of driving on the Phoenix side and 19 hr 37 min on the Tampa side — the fairest single meeting point among the cities near the middle.
Over this distance most people will fly rather than drive the whole way. Austin still makes a fair, central place for Phoenix and Tampa to converge, splitting the travel instead of asking one side to cross the country.
If Austin doesn't have what you're after, San Antonio and Houston are also close to the midpoint and worth a look — each keeps the drive reasonably balanced between Phoenix and Tampa.
About the cities
Phoenix
Phoenix is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, Phoenix is the fifth-most populous city in the United States and the most populous state capital. Read more →
Tampa
Tampa is a major city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Hillsborough County. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Read more →
City descriptions adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA); photos via Wikimedia Commons, credited above.
Questions
- Where is the halfway point between Phoenix and Tampa?
- Austin, TX is closest to the geographic midpoint, which makes it the fairest place to meet.
- How far apart are they?
- About 1,794 miles by road.
- How long is the drive to meet in the middle?
- Roughly 19 hr 37 min from the farther city to Austin.
Estimates use straight-line distance and typical road speeds; real drive times vary with route and traffic.