Iowa elevation
Iowa runs from 480 ft at Mississippi River to 1,670 ft at Hawkeye Point, with an average of about 1,071 ft.
Highest point: Hawkeye Point
1,670ft
509 m above sea level
Hawkeye Point, Osceola County · NGVD 29 (the older U.S. vertical datum)
- Lowest point: Mississippi River
- 480 ft (146 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)
- 1,071 ft (327 m)
- Mean of 230 USGS points about 26 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
Iowa places on this site
Cities and towns (USGS, downtown)
- Des Moines873 ft
Iowa elevation facts
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Highest point: Hawkeye Point | 1,670 ft (509 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Lowest point: Mississippi River | 480 ft (146 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Vertical range | 1,190 ft (363 m) | Difference of the two figures above |
| Average elevation (sampled) | 1,071 ft (327 m) | USGS 3DEP, 230 grid points |
| USGS 3DEP value at the high point | 1,670 ft (509 m) | USGS 3DEP, within 250 m of the GNIS summit |
| Capital: Des Moines | 873 ft (266 m) | USGS 3DEP at the city center |
| Land area | 55,854 sq mi (144,660 km²) | Census 2024 boundary file |
Life at 1,071 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for the state's sampled average elevation (1,071 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 96 % 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.
City elevations in Iowa
- Sioux City1,201 ft
- Ankeny994 ft
- Des Moines (capital)873 ft
- Cedar Rapids808 ft
- Davenport588 ft
Largest places in Iowa
The five incorporated places by 2024 Census population estimate.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | 873 ft (266 m) · pop. 213,096 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Cedar Rapids | 808 ft (246 m) · pop. 137,904 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Davenport | 588 ft (179 m) · pop. 100,938 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Sioux City | 1,201 ft (366 m) · pop. 86,875 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Ankeny | 994 ft (303 m) · pop. 76,727 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest point in Iowa?
Hawkeye Point at 1,670 ft (509 m), from USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001).
What is the lowest point in Iowa?
Mississippi River, at 480 ft, per the USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001).
What is the average elevation of Iowa?
About 1,071 ft (327 m): the mean of USGS 3DEP elevations at 230 points on a regular grid about 26 km apart inside the state boundary. It is our estimate, not a published figure.
Which Iowa city on this site is highest?
Des Moines, at 873 ft downtown (USGS).
Does altitude affect cooking in Iowa?
At 1,071 ft, water boils at about 210.0 °F (98.9 °C) and standard air pressure is 28.78 inHg (975 hPa), so each breath holds about 96% of the oxygen it would at sea level. That is for the state's average elevation; check your own town, because Iowa spans 1,190 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