Phoenix, AZ elevation
Downtown Phoenix sits at 1,088 ft (332 m) above sea level. The city limits climb well above that: the highest of our USGS sample points is 2,467 ft, 8.1 mi from downtown.
USGS elevation downtown
1,088ft
332 m above sea level
Ground elevation at 33.44838, -112.07404 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).
Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service
- Range inside city limits (sampled)
- 984 to 2,467 ft
- 300 to 752 m · 160 USGS points
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- Average of sampled points
- 1,413 ft (431 m)
- Source: USGS 3DEP
Data updated · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made
Check your exact spot in Phoenix
Elevation changes from street to street. Use your location, search an address or click the map to get the USGS value for one point. Green pins mark the points named on this page.
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Elevation range inside the city limits
Phoenix covers 518.3 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 160 sampled points run from 984 ft (300 m) to 2,467 ft (752 m), a spread of 1,483 ft. The average of those points is 1,413 ft, higher than downtown.
Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 160 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 2,943 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.
Life at 1,088 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown Phoenix (1,088 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 96 % of sea level
- Air is still 20.9% oxygen; there is just less air.
- Home canning
- Above 1,000 ft, USDA processing times and pressure-canner pounds go up.
- Canning adjustments
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.
Phoenix compared with nearby and similar-size cities
- Scottsdale, AZ1,259 ft
- Mesa, AZ1,242 ft
- Gilbert, AZ1,236 ft
- Chandler, AZ1,214 ft
- Glendale, AZ1,128 ft
- Phoenix (downtown)1,088 ft
- Columbus, OH780 ft
- Charlotte, NC763 ft
- Austin, TX487 ft
- Philadelphia, PA35 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Phoenix | 1,088 ft (332 m) | USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates |
| Highest sampled point | 2,467 ft (752 m) · 8.1 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Lowest sampled point | 984 ft (300 m) · 12 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Nearest public airport: Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl (KPHX) | 1,135 ft (346 m) · 3.7 mi away | FAA field elevation |
Phoenix at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,673,164 (July 1, 2024) | U.S. Census Bureau estimate |
| Land area | 518.3 sq mi (1,342.5 km²) | Census 2024 Gazetteer |
| County | Maricopa | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | Phoenix | USGS GNIS |
| Downtown coordinates | 33.44838, -112.07404 | USGS GNIS |
More places and tools
Nearest city pages
- Scottsdale, AZ — 1,259 ft, 11 mi (18 km) away
- Tucson, AZ — 2,481 ft, 108 mi (173 km) away
- Las Vegas, NV — 1,996 ft, 256 mi (412 km) away
- Big Bear Lake, CA — 6,752 ft, 283 mi (455 km) away
- Las Cruces, NM — 3,910 ft, 317 mi (510 km) away
- All Arizona elevations
Tools pre-filled for 1,088 ft
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation of Phoenix, AZ?
Downtown Phoenix is 1,088 ft (332 m) above sea level, from the USGS 3D Elevation Program at the city-center coordinates. Inside the city limits, USGS values at 160 sampled points run from 984 to 2,467 ft.
What is the highest point in Phoenix?
The highest of our 160 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 2,467 ft (752 m), about 8.1 mi from downtown (33.5150, -111.9590). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.
What is the lowest point in Phoenix?
The lowest sampled point is 984 ft (300 m), about 12 mi from downtown. That is 1,483 ft below the highest sampled point.
At what temperature does water boil in Phoenix?
At 1,088 ft, water boils at about 210.0 °F (98.9 °C) and standard air pressure is 28.76 inHg (974 hPa), so each breath holds about 96% of the oxygen it would at sea level. Cooking times for pasta, eggs and beans run a little longer than at sea level.
What is the elevation of the airport near Phoenix?
Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl (KPHX), 3.7 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 1,134.8 ft (346 m).
Do I need to adjust canning times in Phoenix?
Yes. At 1,088 ft downtown, USDA tables call for longer boiling-water processing times and higher weighted-gauge pressure than at sea level. Check your own address, because the city spans 984 to 2,467 ft.
Sources
- USGS Elevation Point Query Service (3DEP) — downtown elevation and every sampled point
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Cartographic Boundary Files (places, states; 1:500,000) — city boundary used for sampling
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files (places) — land area and Census place match
- U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 Population Estimates (cities and towns, July 1, 2024) — population
- USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), Domestic Names — city-center coordinates, county and topo map name
- FAA Aeronautical Information Services, Airports (field elevation) — airport field elevation
- 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
- USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning — canning altitude thresholds
How each number is produced: methodology and data sources.
Data updated · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made