Topeka, KS elevation
Downtown Topeka sits at 948 ft (289 m) above sea level. Across the city limits the ground varies by about 260 ft.
USGS elevation downtown
948ft
289 m above sea level
Ground elevation at 39.04833, -95.67804 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).
Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service
- Range inside city limits (sampled)
- 848 to 1,108 ft
- 259 to 338 m · 153 USGS points
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- Average of sampled points
- 947 ft (289 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 Topeka
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
Topeka covers 61.9 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 153 sampled points run from 848 ft (259 m) to 1,108 ft (338 m), a spread of 260 ft. The average of those points is 947 ft, close to the downtown value.
Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 153 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 1,017 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.
Life at 948 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown Topeka (948 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.
Topeka compared with nearby and similar-size cities
- Provo, UT4,553 ft
- West jordan, UT4,373 ft
- Las Cruces, NM3,910 ft
- Carbondale, KS1,128 ft
- Auburn, KS1,085 ft
- St. Marys, KS956 ft
- Topeka (downtown)948 ft
- Silver Lake, KS913 ft
- Lawrence, KS867 ft
- Hartford, CT51 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Topeka | 948 ft (289 m) | USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates |
| Highest sampled point | 1,108 ft (338 m) · 4.5 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Lowest sampled point | 848 ft (259 m) · 3.5 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Nearest public airport: Philip Billard Muni (KTOP) | 881 ft (269 m) · 3.3 mi away | FAA field elevation |
Topeka at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 125,467 (July 1, 2024) | U.S. Census Bureau estimate |
| Land area | 61.9 sq mi (160.3 km²) | Census 2024 Gazetteer |
| County | Shawnee | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | Topeka | USGS GNIS |
| Downtown coordinates | 39.04833, -95.67804 | USGS GNIS |
More places and tools
Nearest city pages
- Lincoln, NE — 1,202 ft, 132 mi (212 km) away
- Jefferson City, MO — 630 ft, 191 mi (308 km) away
- Des Moines, IA — 873 ft, 207 mi (334 km) away
- Oklahoma City, OK — 1,196 ft, 267 mi (430 km) away
- Springfield, IL — 600 ft, 326 mi (525 km) away
- All Kansas elevations
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation of Topeka, KS?
Downtown Topeka is 948 ft (289 m) above sea level, from the USGS 3D Elevation Program at the city-center coordinates. Inside the city limits, USGS values at 153 sampled points run from 848 to 1,108 ft.
What is the highest point in Topeka?
The highest of our 153 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 1,108 ft (338 m), about 4.5 mi from downtown (39.0040, -95.7403). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.
What is the lowest point in Topeka?
The lowest sampled point is 848 ft (259 m), about 3.5 mi from downtown. That is 260 ft below the highest sampled point.
At what temperature does water boil in Topeka?
At 948 ft, water boils at about 210.3 °F (99.0 °C) and standard air pressure is 28.91 inHg (979 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 Topeka?
Philip Billard Muni (KTOP), 3.3 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 881.3 ft (269 m).
Do I need to adjust canning times in Topeka?
Downtown Topeka is at 948 ft, so the USDA 0–1,000 ft column applies there. Parts of the city reach 1,108 ft, where the 1,001 ft and higher columns apply.
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