A honeycomb structure includes a cordierite component, and has partition walls defining a plurality of cells which extend from one end face to the other end face and form through channels for a fluid, a thermal expansion coefficient in a central axis direction is 1.2 ppm/K or more and 3.5 ppm/K or less in a temperature change of 40 C. to 800 C., and a thermal expansion coefficient in a cross-sectional direction orthogonal to the central axis direction is 0.8 ppm/K or more and 2.5 ppm/K or less in the temperature range of 40 C. to 800 C.