Idaho elevation
Idaho runs from 710 ft at Snake River to 12,668 ft at Mount Borah, with an average of about 5,258 ft.
Highest point: Mount Borah
12,668ft
3,861 m above sea level
NGS survey mark BEAUTY RESET (PID PZ0770), Custer County · NAVD 88 (current U.S. vertical datum)
Source: NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet PZ0770 (mark last recovered 1967)
- Lowest point: Snake River
- 710 ft (216 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)
- 5,258 ft (1,603 m)
- Mean of 214 USGS points about 31 km apart; an estimate, not a published figure.
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- USGS table figure for the high point
- 12,662 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
Idaho places on this site
Cities and towns (USGS, downtown)
- Boise2,700 ft
Mountains and peaks
- Mount Borah12,668 ft
Idaho elevation facts
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Highest point: Mount Borah | 12,668 ft (3,861 m) | NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet PZ0770 (mark last recovered 1967) |
| Lowest point: Snake River | 710 ft (216 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Vertical range | 11,958 ft (3,645 m) | Difference of the two figures above |
| Average elevation (sampled) | 5,258 ft (1,603 m) | USGS 3DEP, 214 grid points |
| USGS 3DEP value at the high point | 12,656 ft (3,858 m) | USGS 3DEP, within 250 m of the GNIS summit |
| Capital: Boise City | 2,700 ft (823 m) | USGS 3DEP at the city center |
| Land area | 82,645 sq mi (214,051 km²) | Census 2024 boundary file |
Life at 5,258 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for the state's sampled average elevation (5,258 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 82 % 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 Idaho
- Idaho Falls4,707 ft
- Boise City (capital)2,700 ft
- Boise2,700 ft
- Meridian2,607 ft
- Nampa2,522 ft
- Caldwell2,375 ft
Largest places in Idaho
The five incorporated places by 2024 Census population estimate.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Boise City | 2,700 ft (823 m) · pop. 237,963 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Meridian | 2,607 ft (795 m) · pop. 139,740 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Nampa | 2,522 ft (769 m) · pop. 117,350 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Caldwell | 2,375 ft (724 m) · pop. 73,088 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Idaho Falls | 4,707 ft (1,435 m) · pop. 69,523 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest point in Idaho?
Mount Borah at 12,668 ft (3,861 m), from NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet PZ0770 (mark last recovered 1967). The USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001) lists 12,662 ft, an older survey on the NGVD 29 datum.
What is the lowest point in Idaho?
Snake River, at 710 ft, per the USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001).
What is the average elevation of Idaho?
About 5,258 ft (1,603 m): the mean of USGS 3DEP elevations at 214 points on a regular grid about 31 km apart inside the state boundary. It is our estimate, not a published figure.
Which Idaho city on this site is highest?
Boise, at 2,700 ft downtown (USGS).
Does altitude affect cooking in Idaho?
At 5,258 ft, water boils at about 202.4 °F (94.7 °C) and standard air pressure is 24.66 inHg (835 hPa), so each breath holds about 82% of the oxygen it would at sea level. That is for the state's average elevation; check your own town, because Idaho spans 11,958 ft from lowest to highest.
Sources
- NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet PZ0770 (mark last recovered 1967) — 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