The invention aims to provide a rubber composition for a tire which achieves a balanced improvement in the abrasion resistance under both low and high severity abrasion conditions, low heat build-up properties, and chipping resistance. The invention relates to a rubber composition for a tire, including: a rubber component containing 60% by mass or more of a natural rubber component; and a carbon black having a cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) specific surface area of 140-160 m2/g, a ratio (CTAB/IA) of the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide specific surface area to an iodine adsorption number (IA) of 0.85-1 m2/g, and a ratio (ΔD50/Dst) of a half width (ΔD50) of Stokes' diameter distribution of aggregates to a Stokes' diameter (Dst) of aggregates, as determined by a centrifugal sedimentation method, of 0.9-0.99, the natural rubber component containing 20% by mass or more of highly purified natural rubber per 100% by mass of the natural rubber component.