Indianapolis, IN elevation
Downtown Indianapolis sits at 730 ft (222 m) above sea level. Across the city limits the ground varies by about 233 ft.
USGS elevation downtown
730ft
222 m above sea level
Ground elevation at 39.76838, -86.15804 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).
Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service
- Range inside city limits (sampled)
- 650 to 883 ft
- 198 to 269 m · 156 USGS points
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- Average of sampled points
- 779 ft (238 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 Indianapolis
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
Indianapolis covers 361.0 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 156 sampled points run from 650 ft (198 m) to 883 ft (269 m), a spread of 233 ft. The average of those points is 779 ft, close to the downtown value.
Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 156 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 2,456 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.
Life at 730 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown Indianapolis (730 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.
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.
Indianapolis compared with nearby and similar-size cities
- Denver, CO5,276 ft
- Westfield, IN886 ft
- Carmel, IN853 ft
- Fishers, IN816 ft
- Greenwood, IN804 ft
- Columbus, OH780 ft
- Noblesville, IN765 ft
- Charlotte, NC763 ft
- Indianapolis (downtown)730 ft
- Austin, TX487 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Indianapolis | 730 ft (222 m) | USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates |
| Highest sampled point | 883 ft (269 m) · 11 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Lowest sampled point | 650 ft (198 m) · 9.4 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Nearest public airport: Post-Air (7L8) | 861 ft (262 m) · 7.8 mi away | FAA field elevation |
Indianapolis at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 891,484 (July 1, 2024) | U.S. Census Bureau estimate |
| Land area | 361.0 sq mi (935.0 km²) | Census 2024 Gazetteer |
| County | Marion | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | Indianapolis West | USGS GNIS |
| Downtown coordinates | 39.76838, -86.15804 | USGS GNIS |
More places and tools
Nearest city pages
- Frankfort, KY — 504 ft, 128 mi (207 km) away
- Columbus, OH — 780 ft, 168 mi (270 km) away
- Springfield, IL — 600 ft, 185 mi (298 km) away
- Lansing, MI — 853 ft, 221 mi (356 km) away
- Nashville, TN — 555 ft, 251 mi (404 km) away
- All Indiana elevations
Tools pre-filled for 730 ft
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation of Indianapolis, IN?
Downtown Indianapolis is 730 ft (222 m) above sea level, from the USGS 3D Elevation Program at the city-center coordinates. Inside the city limits, USGS values at 156 sampled points run from 650 to 883 ft.
What is the highest point in Indianapolis?
The highest of our 156 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 883 ft (269 m), about 11 mi from downtown (39.9080, -86.2564). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.
What is the lowest point in Indianapolis?
The lowest sampled point is 650 ft (198 m), about 9.4 mi from downtown. That is 233 ft below the highest sampled point.
At what temperature does water boil in Indianapolis?
At 730 ft, water boils at about 210.7 °F (99.3 °C) and standard air pressure is 29.14 inHg (987 hPa), so each breath holds about 97% 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 Indianapolis?
Post-Air (7L8), 7.8 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 861 ft (262 m).
Do I need to adjust canning times in Indianapolis?
Downtown Indianapolis is at 730 ft, so the USDA 0–1,000 ft column applies there.
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