Boise, ID elevation
Downtown Boise sits at 2,700 ft (823 m) above sea level. The city limits climb well above that: the highest of our USGS sample points is 3,558 ft, 3.7 mi from downtown.
USGS elevation downtown
2,700ft
823 m above sea level
Ground elevation at 43.61350, -116.20345 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).
Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service
- Range inside city limits (sampled)
- 2,581 to 3,558 ft
- 787 to 1,085 m · 155 USGS points
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- Average of sampled points
- 2,808 ft (856 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 Boise
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
Boise covers 85.2 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 155 sampled points run from 2,581 ft (787 m) to 3,558 ft (1,085 m), a spread of 977 ft. The average of those points is 2,808 ft, higher than downtown.
Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 155 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 1,193 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.
Life at 2,700 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown Boise (2,700 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 91 % 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.
Boise compared with nearby and similar-size cities
- Boise (downtown)2,700 ft
- Kuna, ID2,698 ft
- Meridian, ID2,607 ft
- Eagle, ID2,566 ft
- Nampa, ID2,522 ft
- Caldwell, ID2,375 ft
- Scottsdale, AZ1,259 ft
- Winston-Salem, NC911 ft
- Richmond, VA213 ft
- Baton Rouge, LA46 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Boise | 2,700 ft (823 m) | USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates |
| Highest sampled point | 3,558 ft (1,085 m) · 3.7 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Lowest sampled point | 2,581 ft (787 m) · 7.5 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Nearest public airport: Boise Air Trml/Gowen Fld (KBOI) | 2,872 ft (875 m) · 3.5 mi away | FAA field elevation |
Boise at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 237,963 (July 1, 2024) | U.S. Census Bureau estimate |
| Land area | 85.2 sq mi (220.6 km²) | Census 2024 Gazetteer |
| County | Ada | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | Boise South | USGS GNIS |
| Downtown coordinates | 43.61350, -116.20345 | USGS GNIS |
More places and tools
Nearest city pages
- Missoula, MT — 3,209 ft, 249 mi (401 km) away
- Bend, OR — 3,625 ft, 257 mi (413 km) away
- Big Sky, MT — 7,220 ft, 265 mi (426 km) away
- Sisters, OR — 3,186 ft, 270 mi (434 km) away
- Ogden, UT — 4,303 ft, 272 mi (437 km) away
- All Idaho elevations
Tools pre-filled for 2,700 ft
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation of Boise, ID?
Downtown Boise is 2,700 ft (823 m) above sea level, from the USGS 3D Elevation Program at the city-center coordinates. Inside the city limits, USGS values at 155 sampled points run from 2,581 to 3,558 ft.
What is the highest point in Boise?
The highest of our 155 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 3,558 ft (1,085 m), about 3.7 mi from downtown (43.5898, -116.1363). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.
What is the lowest point in Boise?
The lowest sampled point is 2,581 ft (787 m), about 7.5 mi from downtown. That is 977 ft below the highest sampled point.
At what temperature does water boil in Boise?
At 2,700 ft, water boils at about 207.1 °F (97.3 °C) and standard air pressure is 27.11 inHg (918 hPa), so each breath holds about 91% 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 Boise?
Boise Air Trml/Gowen Fld (KBOI), 3.5 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 2,871.7 ft (875 m).
Do I need to adjust canning times in Boise?
Yes. At 2,700 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 2,581 to 3,558 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