Des Moines, IA elevation
Downtown Des Moines sits at 873 ft (266 m) above sea level. Across the city limits the ground varies by about 204 ft.
USGS elevation downtown
873ft
266 m above sea level
Ground elevation at 41.60054, -93.60911 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).
Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service
- Range inside city limits (sampled)
- 770 to 974 ft
- 235 to 297 m · 156 USGS points
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- Average of sampled points
- 873 ft (266 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 Des Moines
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
Des Moines covers 88.2 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 156 sampled points run from 770 ft (235 m) to 974 ft (297 m), a spread of 204 ft. The average of those points is 873 ft, close to the downtown value.
Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 156 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 1,214 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.
Life at 873 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown Des Moines (873 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.
Des Moines compared with nearby and similar-size cities
- Salt Lake City, UT4,264 ft
- Waukee, IA1,034 ft
- Ankeny, IA994 ft
- Urbandale, IA942 ft
- Des Moines (downtown)873 ft
- Johnston, IA831 ft
- West Des Moines, IA827 ft
- Little Rock, AR337 ft
- Tallahassee, FL204 ft
- Baton Rouge, LA46 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Des Moines | 873 ft (266 m) | USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates |
| Highest sampled point | 974 ft (297 m) · 4.2 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Lowest sampled point | 770 ft (235 m) · 5.7 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Nearest public airport: Des Moines Intl (KDSM) | 958 ft (292 m) · 5.4 mi away | FAA field elevation |
Des Moines at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 213,096 (July 1, 2024) | U.S. Census Bureau estimate |
| Land area | 88.2 sq mi (228.3 km²) | Census 2024 Gazetteer |
| County | Polk | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | Des Moines SE | USGS GNIS |
| Downtown coordinates | 41.60054, -93.60911 | USGS GNIS |
More places and tools
Nearest city pages
- Lincoln, NE — 1,202 ft, 168 mi (271 km) away
- Topeka, KS — 948 ft, 207 mi (334 km) away
- Jefferson City, MO — 630 ft, 222 mi (358 km) away
- St. Paul, MN — 789 ft, 232 mi (374 km) away
- Madison, WI — 875 ft, 238 mi (383 km) away
- All Iowa elevations
Tools pre-filled for 873 ft
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation of Des Moines, IA?
Downtown Des Moines is 873 ft (266 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 770 to 974 ft.
What is the highest point in Des Moines?
The highest of our 156 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 974 ft (297 m), about 4.2 mi from downtown (41.6159, -93.6877). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.
What is the lowest point in Des Moines?
The lowest sampled point is 770 ft (235 m), about 5.7 mi from downtown. That is 204 ft below the highest sampled point.
At what temperature does water boil in Des Moines?
At 873 ft, water boils at about 210.4 °F (99.1 °C) and standard air pressure is 28.99 inHg (982 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 Des Moines?
Des Moines Intl (KDSM), 5.4 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 957.9 ft (292 m).
Do I need to adjust canning times in Des Moines?
Downtown Des Moines is at 873 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