Lansing, MI elevation
Downtown Lansing sits at 853 ft (260 m) above sea level. Across the city limits the ground varies by about 90 ft.
USGS elevation downtown
853ft
260 m above sea level
Ground elevation at 42.73254, -84.55553 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).
Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service
- Range inside city limits (sampled)
- 819 to 909 ft
- 250 to 277 m · 156 USGS points
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- Average of sampled points
- 858 ft (262 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 Lansing
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
Lansing covers 39.4 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 156 sampled points run from 819 ft (250 m) to 909 ft (277 m), a spread of 90 ft. The average of those points is 858 ft, close to the downtown value.
Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 156 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 811 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.
Life at 853 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown Lansing (853 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.
Lansing compared with nearby and similar-size cities
- Provo, UT4,553 ft
- West jordan, UT4,373 ft
- Las Cruces, NM3,910 ft
- Mason, MI916 ft
- Charlotte, MI908 ft
- East Lansing, MI857 ft
- Lansing (downtown)853 ft
- Grand Ledge, MI837 ft
- St. Johns, MI794 ft
- Springfield, IL600 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Lansing | 853 ft (260 m) | USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates |
| Highest sampled point | 909 ft (277 m) · 8.1 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Lowest sampled point | 819 ft (250 m) · 2.1 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Nearest public airport: Capital Region Intl (KLAN) | 861 ft (262 m) · 3.5 mi away | FAA field elevation |
Lansing at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 114,336 (July 1, 2024) | U.S. Census Bureau estimate |
| Land area | 39.4 sq mi (102.0 km²) | Census 2024 Gazetteer |
| County | Ingham | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | Lansing South | USGS GNIS |
| Downtown coordinates | 42.73254, -84.55553 | USGS GNIS |
More places and tools
Nearest city pages
- Columbus, OH — 780 ft, 208 mi (334 km) away
- Indianapolis, IN — 730 ft, 221 mi (356 km) away
- Madison, WI — 875 ft, 246 mi (396 km) away
- Pittsburgh, PA — 765 ft, 284 mi (457 km) away
- Frankfort, KY — 504 ft, 314 mi (505 km) away
- All Michigan elevations
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation of Lansing, MI?
Downtown Lansing is 853 ft (260 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 819 to 909 ft.
What is the highest point in Lansing?
The highest of our 156 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 909 ft (277 m), about 8.1 mi from downtown (42.6730, -84.4186). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.
What is the lowest point in Lansing?
The lowest sampled point is 819 ft (250 m), about 2.1 mi from downtown. That is 90 ft below the highest sampled point.
At what temperature does water boil in Lansing?
At 853 ft, water boils at about 210.4 °F (99.1 °C) and standard air pressure is 29.01 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 Lansing?
Capital Region Intl (KLAN), 3.5 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 860.5 ft (262 m).
Do I need to adjust canning times in Lansing?
Downtown Lansing is at 853 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