Indiana elevation
Indiana runs from 320 ft at Ohio River to 1,257 ft at Hoosier Hill, with an average of about 746 ft.
Highest point: Hoosier Hill
1,257ft
383 m above sea level
Hoosier Hill, Wayne County · NGVD 29 (the older U.S. vertical datum)
- Lowest point: Ohio River
- 320 ft (98 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)
- 746 ft (227 m)
- Mean of 235 USGS points about 21 km apart; an estimate, not a published figure.
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
Data updated · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made
Indiana places on this site
Cities and towns (USGS, downtown)
- Indianapolis730 ft
Indiana elevation facts
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Highest point: Hoosier Hill | 1,257 ft (383 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Lowest point: Ohio River | 320 ft (98 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Vertical range | 937 ft (286 m) | Difference of the two figures above |
| Average elevation (sampled) | 746 ft (227 m) | USGS 3DEP, 235 grid points |
| USGS 3DEP value at the high point | 1,255 ft (383 m) | USGS 3DEP, within 250 m of the GNIS summit |
| Capital: Indianapolis | 730 ft (222 m) | USGS 3DEP at the city center |
| Land area | 35,825 sq mi (92,787 km²) | Census 2024 boundary file |
Life at 746 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for the state's sampled average elevation (746 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 97 % of sea level
- Air is still 20.9% oxygen; there is just less air.
- Oxygen calculator
- Home canning
- At or below 1,000 ft, use the standard USDA sea-level times.
- 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.
City elevations in Indiana
- Fishers816 ft
- Fort Wayne810 ft
- Indianapolis (capital)730 ft
- South Bend692 ft
- Evansville383 ft
Largest places in Indiana
The five incorporated places by 2024 Census population estimate.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis | 730 ft (222 m) · pop. 891,484 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Fort Wayne | 810 ft (247 m) · pop. 273,203 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Evansville | 383 ft (117 m) · pop. 115,395 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Fishers | 816 ft (249 m) · pop. 103,986 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| South Bend | 692 ft (211 m) · pop. 103,713 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest point in Indiana?
Hoosier Hill at 1,257 ft (383 m), from USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001).
What is the lowest point in Indiana?
Ohio River, at 320 ft, per the USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001).
What is the average elevation of Indiana?
About 746 ft (227 m): the mean of USGS 3DEP elevations at 235 points on a regular grid about 21 km apart inside the state boundary. It is our estimate, not a published figure.
Which Indiana city on this site is highest?
Indianapolis, at 730 ft downtown (USGS).
Does altitude affect cooking in Indiana?
At 746 ft, water boils at about 210.6 °F (99.2 °C) and standard air pressure is 29.12 inHg (986 hPa), so each breath holds about 97% of the oxygen it would at sea level. That is for the state's average elevation; check your own town, because Indiana spans 937 ft from lowest to highest.
Sources
- USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) — 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