Arizona elevation
Arizona runs from 70 ft at Colorado River to 12,637 ft at Mount Humphreys, with an average of about 4,300 ft.
Highest point: Mount Humphreys
12,637ft
3,852 m above sea level
NGS survey mark FRISCO (PID FQ0624), Coconino County · NAVD 88 (current U.S. vertical datum)
Source: NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet FQ0624 (mark last recovered 1965)
- Lowest point: Colorado River
- 70 ft (21 m)
- NGVD 29 (the older U.S. vertical datum)
- Source: USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001)
- Average elevation (sampled)
- 4,300 ft (1,311 m)
- Mean of 228 USGS points about 37 km apart; an estimate, not a published figure.
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- USGS table figure for the high point
- 12,633 ft
- Older survey on the NGVD 29 datum.
- Source: USGS Elevations and Distances (revised 2001)
Data updated · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made
Arizona places on this site
Cities and towns (USGS, downtown)
- Tucson2,481 ft
- Scottsdale1,259 ft
- Phoenix1,088 ft
Mountains and peaks
- Mount Humphreys12,637 ft
- Mount Lemmon9,188 ft
- Mount Hayden8,364 ft
Arizona elevation facts
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Highest point: Mount Humphreys | 12,637 ft (3,852 m) | NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet FQ0624 (mark last recovered 1965) |
| Lowest point: Colorado River | 70 ft (21 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Vertical range | 12,567 ft (3,830 m) | Difference of the two figures above |
| Average elevation (sampled) | 4,300 ft (1,311 m) | USGS 3DEP, 228 grid points |
| USGS 3DEP value at the high point | 12,632 ft (3,850 m) | USGS 3DEP, within 250 m of the GNIS summit |
| Capital: Phoenix | 1,088 ft (332 m) | USGS 3DEP at the city center |
| Land area | 113,655 sq mi (294,366 km²) | Census 2024 boundary file |
Life at 4,300 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for the state's sampled average elevation (4,300 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 85 % of sea level
- Air is still 20.9% oxygen; there is just less air.
- Oxygen calculator
- Home canning
- Above 1,000 ft, USDA processing times and pressure-canner pounds go up.
- Canning adjustments · Baking
Sources: pressure from the U.S. Standard Atmosphere, 1976 (NOAA, NASA, USAF); boiling point from the Antoine equation for water (Lange's Handbook of Chemistry); canning thresholds from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning. Not medical or food-safety advice; follow the tested USDA recipe for your altitude.
City elevations in Arizona
- Tucson2,481 ft
- Scottsdale1,259 ft
- Mesa1,242 ft
- Gilbert1,236 ft
- Chandler1,214 ft
- Phoenix (capital)1,088 ft
Largest places in Arizona
The five incorporated places by 2024 Census population estimate.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | 1,088 ft (332 m) · pop. 1,673,164 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Tucson | 2,481 ft (756 m) · pop. 554,013 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Mesa | 1,242 ft (379 m) · pop. 517,151 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Gilbert | 1,236 ft (377 m) · pop. 288,790 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Chandler | 1,214 ft (370 m) · pop. 281,231 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest point in Arizona?
Mount Humphreys at 12,637 ft (3,852 m), from NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet FQ0624 (mark last recovered 1965). The USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001) lists 12,633 ft, an older survey on the NGVD 29 datum.
What is the lowest point in Arizona?
Colorado River, at 70 ft, per the USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001).
What is the average elevation of Arizona?
About 4,300 ft (1,311 m): the mean of USGS 3DEP elevations at 228 points on a regular grid about 37 km apart inside the state boundary. It is our estimate, not a published figure.
Which Arizona city on this site is highest?
Tucson, at 2,481 ft downtown (USGS). The lowest is Phoenix at 1,088 ft.
Does altitude affect cooking in Arizona?
At 4,300 ft, water boils at about 204.2 °F (95.7 °C) and standard air pressure is 25.56 inHg (865 hPa), so each breath holds about 85% of the oxygen it would at sea level. That is for the state's average elevation; check your own town, because Arizona spans 12,567 ft from lowest to highest.
Sources
- NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet FQ0624 (mark last recovered 1965) — highest point
- USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) — lowest point
- USGS Elevation Point Query Service (3DEP) — average elevation, city-center values and the high-point check
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Cartographic Boundary Files (places, states; 1:500,000) — state boundary and land area
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files (places) — city locations
- U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 Population Estimates (cities and towns, July 1, 2024) — largest cities by population
- Wikidata (elevation statements that cite a source; the cited source is listed with each value) — state capital name
- U.S. Standard Atmosphere, 1976 (NOAA/NASA/USAF); water boiling point by the Antoine equation (Lange’s Handbook of Chemistry) — boiling point, air pressure and oxygen
How each number is produced: methodology and data sources.
Every state: US elevation by state · Highest point in each state
Data updated · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made