Minnesota elevation
Minnesota runs from 601 ft at Lake Superior to 2,301 ft at Eagle Mountain, with an average of about 1,217 ft.
Highest point: Eagle Mountain
2,301ft
701 m above sea level
Eagle Mountain, Cook County · NGVD 29 (the older U.S. vertical datum)
- Lowest point: Lake Superior
- 601 ft (183 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)
- 1,217 ft (371 m)
- Mean of 234 USGS points about 31 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
Minnesota places on this site
Cities and towns (USGS, downtown)
- St. Paul789 ft
Minnesota elevation facts
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Highest point: Eagle Mountain | 2,301 ft (701 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Lowest point: Lake Superior | 601 ft (183 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Vertical range | 1,700 ft (518 m) | Difference of the two figures above |
| Average elevation (sampled) | 1,217 ft (371 m) | USGS 3DEP, 234 grid points |
| USGS 3DEP value at the high point | 2,290 ft (698 m) | USGS 3DEP, within 250 m of the GNIS summit |
| Capital: St. Paul | 789 ft (241 m) | USGS 3DEP at the city center |
| Land area | 79,632 sq mi (206,245 km²) | Census 2024 boundary file |
Life at 1,217 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for the state's sampled average elevation (1,217 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 Minnesota
- Rochester1,024 ft
- Minneapolis830 ft
- Bloomington825 ft
- St. Paul (capital)789 ft
- Duluth700 ft
Largest places in Minnesota
The five incorporated places by 2024 Census population estimate.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis | 830 ft (253 m) · pop. 428,579 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| St. Paul | 789 ft (241 m) · pop. 307,465 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Rochester | 1,024 ft (312 m) · pop. 123,624 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Bloomington | 825 ft (252 m) · pop. 88,344 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Duluth | 700 ft (213 m) · pop. 87,986 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest point in Minnesota?
Eagle Mountain at 2,301 ft (701 m), from USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001).
What is the lowest point in Minnesota?
Lake Superior, at 601 ft, per the USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001).
What is the average elevation of Minnesota?
About 1,217 ft (371 m): the mean of USGS 3DEP elevations at 234 points on a regular grid about 31 km apart inside the state boundary. It is our estimate, not a published figure.
Which Minnesota city on this site is highest?
St. Paul, at 789 ft downtown (USGS).
Does altitude affect cooking in Minnesota?
At 1,217 ft, water boils at about 209.8 °F (98.8 °C) and standard air pressure is 28.63 inHg (969 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 Minnesota spans 1,700 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