Louisiana elevation
Louisiana runs from -8 ft at New Orleans to 535 ft at Driskill Mountain, with an average of about 94 ft.
Highest point: Driskill Mountain
535ft
163 m above sea level
Driskill Mountain, Bienville County · NGVD 29 (the older U.S. vertical datum)
- Lowest point: New Orleans
- -8 ft (-2 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)
- 94 ft (29 m)
- Mean of 239 USGS points about 23 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
Louisiana places on this site
Cities and towns (USGS, downtown)
- Baton Rouge46 ft
Louisiana elevation facts
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Highest point: Driskill Mountain | 535 ft (163 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Lowest point: New Orleans | -8 ft (-2 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Vertical range | 543 ft (166 m) | Difference of the two figures above |
| Average elevation (sampled) | 94 ft (29 m) | USGS 3DEP, 239 grid points |
| USGS 3DEP value at the high point | 534 ft (163 m) | USGS 3DEP, within 250 m of the GNIS summit |
| Capital: Baton Rouge | 46 ft (14 m) | USGS 3DEP at the city center |
| Land area | 43,213 sq mi (111,921 km²) | Census 2024 boundary file |
Life at 94 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for the state's sampled average elevation (94 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 100 % 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 Louisiana
- Bossier City174 ft
- Shreveport150 ft
- Baton Rouge (capital)46 ft
- Lake Charles14 ft
- New Orleans0 ft
- Kenner0 ft
Largest places in Louisiana
The five incorporated places by 2024 Census population estimate.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans | 0 ft (0 m) · pop. 362,701 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Shreveport | 150 ft (46 m) · pop. 176,578 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Lake Charles | 14 ft (4 m) · pop. 81,157 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Kenner | 0 ft (0 m) · pop. 64,650 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Bossier City | 174 ft (53 m) · pop. 63,218 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest point in Louisiana?
Driskill Mountain at 535 ft (163 m), from USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001).
What is the lowest point in Louisiana?
New Orleans, at -8 ft, per the USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001).
What is the average elevation of Louisiana?
About 94 ft (29 m): the mean of USGS 3DEP elevations at 239 points on a regular grid about 23 km apart inside the state boundary. It is our estimate, not a published figure.
Which Louisiana city on this site is highest?
Baton Rouge, at 46 ft downtown (USGS).
Does altitude affect cooking in Louisiana?
At 94 ft, water boils at about 211.8 °F (99.9 °C) and standard air pressure is 29.82 inHg (1,010 hPa), so each breath holds about 100% of the oxygen it would at sea level. That is for the state's average elevation; check your own town, because Louisiana spans 543 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