Fort Collins, CO elevation
Downtown Fort Collins sits at 5,004 ft (1,525 m) above sea level. The city limits climb well above that: the highest of our USGS sample points is 5,744 ft, 7.5 mi from downtown.
USGS elevation downtown
5,004ft
1,525 m above sea level
Ground elevation at 40.58526, -105.08442 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).
Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service
- Range inside city limits (sampled)
- 4,846 to 5,744 ft
- 1,477 to 1,751 m · 161 USGS points
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- Average of sampled points
- 5,020 ft (1,530 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 Fort Collins
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
Fort Collins covers 57.2 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 161 sampled points run from 4,846 ft (1,477 m) to 5,744 ft (1,751 m), a spread of 898 ft. The average of those points is 5,020 ft, close to the downtown value.
Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 161 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 978 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.
Life at 5,004 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown Fort Collins (5,004 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 83 % 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.
Fort Collins compared with nearby and similar-size cities
- Fort Collins (downtown)5,004 ft
- Loveland, CO4,986 ft
- Johnstown, CO4,853 ft
- Windsor, CO4,796 ft
- Greeley, CO4,674 ft
- Evans, CO4,652 ft
- Eugene, OR430 ft
- Salem, OR157 ft
- Charleston, SC10 ft
- Providence, RI9 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Fort Collins | 5,004 ft (1,525 m) | USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates |
| Highest sampled point | 5,744 ft (1,751 m) · 7.5 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Lowest sampled point | 4,846 ft (1,477 m) · 6.2 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Nearest public airport: Northern Colorado Rgnl (KFNL) | 5,020 ft (1,530 m) · 10 mi away | FAA field elevation |
Fort Collins at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 170,924 (July 1, 2024) | U.S. Census Bureau estimate |
| Land area | 57.2 sq mi (148.3 km²) | Census 2024 Gazetteer |
| County | Larimer | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | Fort Collins | USGS GNIS |
| Downtown coordinates | 40.58526, -105.08442 | USGS GNIS |
More places and tools
Nearest city pages
- Cheyenne, WY — 6,091 ft, 41 mi (66 km) away
- Denver, CO — 5,276 ft, 59 mi (94 km) away
- Colorado Springs, CO — 6,009 ft, 122 mi (196 km) away
- Rapid City, SD — 3,243 ft, 259 mi (417 km) away
- Park City, UT — 7,014 ft, 336 mi (541 km) away
- All Colorado elevations
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation of Fort Collins, CO?
Downtown Fort Collins is 5,004 ft (1,525 m) above sea level, from the USGS 3D Elevation Program at the city-center coordinates. Inside the city limits, USGS values at 161 sampled points run from 4,846 to 5,744 ft.
What is the highest point in Fort Collins?
The highest of our 161 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 5,744 ft (1,751 m), about 7.5 mi from downtown (40.4853, -105.1403). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.
What is the lowest point in Fort Collins?
The lowest sampled point is 4,846 ft (1,477 m), about 6.2 mi from downtown. That is 898 ft below the highest sampled point.
At what temperature does water boil in Fort Collins?
At 5,004 ft, water boils at about 202.9 °F (94.9 °C) and standard air pressure is 24.89 inHg (843 hPa), so each breath holds about 83% 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 Fort Collins?
Northern Colorado Rgnl (KFNL), 10 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 5,020.3 ft (1,530 m).
Do I need to adjust canning times in Fort Collins?
Yes. At 5,004 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 4,846 to 5,744 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