California elevation
California runs from -282 ft at Death Valley to 14,505 ft at Mount Whitney, with an average of about 2,829 ft.
Highest point: Mount Whitney
14,505ft
4,421 m above sea level
NGS survey mark WHITNEY (PID GT1811), Inyo-Tulare County · NAVD 88 (current U.S. vertical datum)
Source: NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet GT1811 (mark last recovered 2006-08-20)
- Lowest point: Death Valley
- -282 ft (-86 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)
- 2,829 ft (862 m)
- Mean of 226 USGS points about 43 km apart; an estimate, not a published figure.
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- USGS table figure for the high point
- 14,494 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
California places on this site
Cities and towns (USGS, downtown)
- Mammoth Lakes7,873 ft
- Big Bear Lake6,752 ft
- South Lake Tahoe6,238 ft
- Truckee5,817 ft
- Bishop4,145 ft
- Sacramento27 ft
Mountains and peaks
- Mount Whitney14,505 ft
- Mount Shasta14,179 ft
- Mount San Gorgonio11,491 ft
- Mount San Jacinto10,796 ft
- Mount Baldy10,060 ft
- Mount Wilson5,713 ft
- Mount Diablo3,864 ft
- Mount Tamalpais2,576 ft
- Mount Wittenberg1,409 ft
California elevation facts
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Highest point: Mount Whitney | 14,505 ft (4,421 m) | NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet GT1811 (mark last recovered 2006-08-20) |
| Lowest point: Death Valley | -282 ft (-86 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Vertical range | 14,787 ft (4,507 m) | Difference of the two figures above |
| Average elevation (sampled) | 2,829 ft (862 m) | USGS 3DEP, 226 grid points |
| USGS 3DEP value at the high point | 14,487 ft (4,416 m) | USGS 3DEP, within 250 m of the GNIS summit |
| Capital: Sacramento | 27 ft (8 m) | USGS 3DEP at the city center |
| Land area | 155,859 sq mi (403,673 km²) | Census 2024 boundary file |
Life at 2,829 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for the state's sampled average elevation (2,829 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 90 % 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.
City elevations in California
- Mammoth Lakes7,873 ft
- Big Bear Lake6,752 ft
- South Lake Tahoe6,238 ft
- Truckee5,817 ft
- Bishop4,145 ft
- Fresno312 ft
- Los Angeles284 ft
- San Jose81 ft
- San Diego63 ft
- Sacramento (capital)27 ft
- San Francisco-45 ft
Largest places in California
The five incorporated places by 2024 Census population estimate.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 284 ft (87 m) · pop. 3,878,704 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| San Diego | 63 ft (19 m) · pop. 1,404,452 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| San Jose | 81 ft (25 m) · pop. 997,368 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| San Francisco | -45 ft (-14 m) · pop. 827,526 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Fresno | 312 ft (95 m) · pop. 550,105 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest point in California?
Mount Whitney at 14,505 ft (4,421 m), from NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet GT1811 (mark last recovered 2006-08-20). The USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001) lists 14,494 ft, an older survey on the NGVD 29 datum.
What is the lowest point in California?
Death Valley, at -282 ft, per the USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001).
What is the average elevation of California?
About 2,829 ft (862 m): the mean of USGS 3DEP elevations at 226 points on a regular grid about 43 km apart inside the state boundary. It is our estimate, not a published figure.
Which California city on this site is highest?
Mammoth Lakes, at 7,873 ft downtown (USGS). The lowest is Sacramento at 27 ft.
Does altitude affect cooking in California?
At 2,829 ft, water boils at about 206.9 °F (97.1 °C) and standard air pressure is 26.99 inHg (914 hPa), so each breath holds about 90% of the oxygen it would at sea level. That is for the state's average elevation; check your own town, because California spans 14,787 ft from lowest to highest.
Sources
- NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet GT1811 (mark last recovered 2006-08-20) — 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