The United States covers a vast range of terrain, from coastal plains at sea level to towering mountain peaks above 14,000 feet.
Understanding each state’s elevation profile (highest point, lowest point, and average elevation) gives insight into geography, climate, and land-use.
The data below is drawn from reliable sources including the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and other elevation summaries.
(Note: Mean elevation numbers are approximate and often rounded to the nearest 100 ft.)
All U.S. State Elevations: Highest, Lowest & Average
| State | Highest Point | Lowest Point | Average Elevation* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Cheaha Mountain (~2,413 ft) | Gulf of Mexico (sea level) | ~500 ft |
| Alaska | Denali (Mount McKinley) ~20,310 ft | Pacific Ocean / sea level | ~1,900 ft |
| Arizona | Humphreys Peak ~12,633 ft | Colorado River ~70 ft | ~4,100 ft |
| Arkansas | Mount Magazine ~2,753 ft | Ouachita River ~55 ft | ~650 ft |
| California | Mount Whitney ~14,494 ft | Badwater Basin ~-282 ft (below sea level) | ~2,900 ft |
| Colorado | Mount Elbert ~14,433 ft | Arikaree River ~3,315 ft | ~6,800 ft |
| Connecticut | Mt. Frissell (south slope) ~2,380 ft | Long Island Sound (sea level) | (Data limited) |
| Delaware | Ebright Azimuth ~448 ft | Atlantic Ocean (sea level) | ~60 ft |
| Florida | Britton Hill ~345 ft | Atlantic Ocean / Gulf of Mexico (sea level) | ~100 ft |
| Georgia | Brasstown Bald ~4,784 ft (approx) | Atlantic Ocean (sea level) | ~600 ft (approx) |
| Hawaii | Mauna Kea ~13,796 ft | Pacific Ocean (sea level) | ~3,030 ft |
| Idaho | Borah Peak ~12,662 ft | Snake River ~710 ft | ~5,000 ft |
| Illinois | Charles Mound ~1,235 ft (approx) | Mississippi River ~279 ft | ~600 ft (approx) |
| Indiana | Hoosier Hill ~1,257 ft (approx) | Ohio River ~320 ft | ~700 ft (approx) |
| Iowa | Hawkeye Point ~1,670 ft (approx) | Mississippi/Des Moines Rivers ~480 ft | ~1,100 ft (approx) |
| Kansas | Mount Sunflower ~4,039 ft (approx) | Verdigris River ~679 ft | ~2,000 ft |
| Kentucky | Black Mountain ~4,145 ft (approx) | Mississippi River ~257 ft | ~750 ft (approx) |
| Louisiana | Driskill Mountain ~535 ft (approx) | New Orleans ~-8 ft | ~100 ft |
| Maine | Mount Katahdin ~5,269 ft (approx) | Atlantic Ocean (sea level) | ~600 ft (approx) |
| Maryland | Backbone Mountain ~3,360 ft (approx) | Atlantic Ocean (sea level) | ~350 ft (approx) |
| Massachusetts | Mount Greylock ~3,491 ft (approx) | Atlantic Ocean (sea level) | ~500 ft (approx) |
| Michigan | Mount Arvon ~1,979 ft (approx) | Lake Erie ~571 ft | ~900 ft (approx) |
| Minnesota | Eagle Mountain ~2,301 ft | Lake Superior ~601 ft | ~1,200 ft (approx) |
| Mississippi | Woodall Mountain ~806 ft (approx) | Gulf of Mexico (sea level) | ~300 ft (approx) |
| Missouri | Taum Sauk Mountain ~1,772 ft (approx) | Saint Francis River ~230 ft | ~800 ft (approx) |
| Montana | Granite Peak ~12,799 ft (approx) | Kootenai River ~1,800 ft | ~3,400 ft |
| Nebraska | Panorama Point ~5,424 ft | Missouri River ~840 ft | ~2,600 ft |
| Nevada | Boundary Peak ~13,147 ft | Colorado River ~479 ft | ~5,500 ft |
| New Hampshire | Mount Washington ~6,288 ft (approx) | Atlantic Ocean (sea level) | ~500 ft (approx) |
| New Jersey | High Point ~1,803 ft (approx) | Atlantic Ocean (sea level) | ~300 ft (approx) |
| New Mexico | Wheeler Peak ~13,161 ft | Red Bluff Reservoir ~2,844 ft | ~5,700 ft |
| New York | Mount Marcy ~5,343 ft (approx) | Atlantic Ocean (sea level) | ~1,000 ft (approx) |
| North Carolina | Mount Mitchell ~6,684 ft (approx) | Atlantic Ocean (sea level) | ~700 ft (approx) |
| North Dakota | White Butte ~3,506 ft (approx) | Red River ~750 ft | ~1,900 ft |
| Ohio | Campbell Hill ~1,549 ft (approx) | Ohio River ~455 ft | ~850 ft (approx) |
| Oklahoma | Black Mesa ~4,973 ft (approx) | Little River ~289 ft | ~1,300 ft (approx) |
| Oregon | Mount Hood ~11,239 ft (approx) | Pacific Ocean (sea level) | ~3,300 ft |
| Pennsylvania | Mount Davis ~3,213 ft (approx) | Delaware River (sea level) | ~1,100 ft (approx) |
| Rhode Island | Jerimoth Hill ~812 ft (approx) | Atlantic Ocean (sea level) | ~200 ft (approx) |
| South Carolina | Sassafras Mountain ~3,560 ft (approx) | Atlantic Ocean (sea level) | ~350 ft (approx) |
| South Dakota | Black Elk Peak ~7,244 ft (approx) | Big Stone Lake ~966 ft | ~2,200 ft |
| Tennessee | Clingmans Dome ~6,643 ft (approx) | Mississippi River ~178 ft | ~900 ft (approx) |
| Texas | Guadalupe Peak ~8,751 ft (approx) | Gulf of Mexico (sea level) | ~1,700 ft |
| Utah | Kings Peak ~13,528 ft (approx) | Beaver Dam Wash ~2,000 ft | ~6,100 ft |
| Vermont | Mount Mansfield ~4,393 ft (approx) | Lake Champlain ~95 ft | ~1,000 ft (approx) |
| Virginia | Mount Rogers ~5,729 ft (approx) | Atlantic Ocean (sea level) | ~950 ft (approx) |
| Washington | Mount Rainier ~14,410 ft | Pacific Ocean (sea level) | ~1,700 ft |
| West Virginia | Spruce Knob ~4,863 ft (approx) | Potomac River ~240 ft | ~1,500 ft |
| Wisconsin | Timms Hill ~1,951 ft (approx) | Lake Michigan ~579 ft | ~900 ft (approx) |
| Wyoming | Gannett Peak ~13,804 ft (approx) | Belle Fourche River ~3,099 ft | ~6,700 ft |
* Average elevation values are rounded estimates drawn from sources and may vary depending on measurement methods.
Key Insights & Highlights
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States with the highest average elevation tend to be in the Rocky Mountains and Intermountain West (e.g., Colorado, Wyoming, Utah).
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Some coastal and southeastern states have very low average elevations (Delaware, Florida, Louisiana) due to large flat, low-lying regions.
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The largest elevation range within a state is spectacular in places like California: from -282 ft below sea level to ~14,494 ft above sea level.
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Geography, climate, and land-use are linked to elevation: higher-elevation states often have cooler climates, shorter growing seasons, and unique ecological zones.