Scottsdale, AZ elevation
Downtown Scottsdale sits at 1,259 ft (384 m) above sea level. The city limits climb well above that: the highest of our USGS sample points is 4,631 ft, 27 mi from downtown.
USGS elevation downtown
1,259ft
384 m above sea level
Ground elevation at 33.50921, -111.89903 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).
Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service
- Range inside city limits (sampled)
- 1,193 to 4,631 ft
- 364 to 1,412 m · 150 USGS points
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- Average of sampled points
- 2,170 ft (662 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 Scottsdale
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
Scottsdale covers 184.0 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 150 sampled points run from 1,193 ft (364 m) to 4,631 ft (1,412 m), a spread of 3,438 ft. The average of those points is 2,170 ft, higher than downtown.
Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 150 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 1,753 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.
Life at 1,259 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown Scottsdale (1,259 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.
- 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.
Scottsdale compared with nearby and similar-size cities
- Boise, ID2,700 ft
- Scottsdale (downtown)1,259 ft
- Mesa, AZ1,242 ft
- Gilbert, AZ1,236 ft
- Chandler, AZ1,214 ft
- Glendale, AZ1,128 ft
- Phoenix, AZ1,088 ft
- Winston-Salem, NC911 ft
- Richmond, VA213 ft
- Baton Rouge, LA46 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Scottsdale | 1,259 ft (384 m) | USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates |
| Highest sampled point | 4,631 ft (1,412 m) · 27 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Lowest sampled point | 1,193 ft (364 m) · 3.7 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Nearest public airport: Scottsdale (KSDL) | 1,510 ft (460 m) · 7.9 mi away | FAA field elevation |
Scottsdale at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 246,170 (July 1, 2024) | U.S. Census Bureau estimate |
| Land area | 184.0 sq mi (476.6 km²) | Census 2024 Gazetteer |
| County | Maricopa | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | Paradise Valley | USGS GNIS |
| Downtown coordinates | 33.50921, -111.89903 | USGS GNIS |
More places and tools
Nearest city pages
- Phoenix, AZ — 1,088 ft, 11 mi (18 km) away
- Tucson, AZ — 2,481 ft, 105 mi (170 km) away
- Las Vegas, NV — 1,996 ft, 260 mi (419 km) away
- Big Bear Lake, CA — 6,752 ft, 292 mi (470 km) away
- Las Cruces, NM — 3,910 ft, 308 mi (496 km) away
- All Arizona elevations
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation of Scottsdale, AZ?
Downtown Scottsdale is 1,259 ft (384 m) above sea level, from the USGS 3D Elevation Program at the city-center coordinates. Inside the city limits, USGS values at 150 sampled points run from 1,193 to 4,631 ft.
What is the highest point in Scottsdale?
The highest of our 150 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 4,631 ft (1,412 m), about 27 mi from downtown (33.8966, -111.8569). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.
What is the lowest point in Scottsdale?
The lowest sampled point is 1,193 ft (364 m), about 3.7 mi from downtown. That is 3,438 ft below the highest sampled point.
At what temperature does water boil in Scottsdale?
At 1,259 ft, water boils at about 209.7 °F (98.7 °C) and standard air pressure is 28.58 inHg (968 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 Scottsdale?
Scottsdale (KSDL), 7.9 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 1,510.1 ft (460 m).
Do I need to adjust canning times in Scottsdale?
Yes. At 1,259 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 1,193 to 4,631 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