Montana elevation
Montana runs from 1,800 ft at Kootenai River to 12,799 ft at Granite Peak, with an average of about 4,198 ft.
Highest point: Granite Peak
12,799ft
3,901 m above sea level
Granite Peak, Park County · NGVD 29 (the older U.S. vertical datum)
- Lowest point: Kootenai River
- 1,800 ft (549 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)
- 4,198 ft (1,279 m)
- Mean of 208 USGS points about 41 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
Montana places on this site
Montana elevation facts
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Highest point: Granite Peak | 12,799 ft (3,901 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Lowest point: Kootenai River | 1,800 ft (549 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Vertical range | 10,999 ft (3,352 m) | Difference of the two figures above |
| Average elevation (sampled) | 4,198 ft (1,279 m) | USGS 3DEP, 208 grid points |
| USGS 3DEP value at the high point | 12,793 ft (3,899 m) | USGS 3DEP, within 250 m of the GNIS summit |
| Capital: Helena | 4,048 ft (1,234 m) | USGS 3DEP at the city center |
| Land area | 145,550 sq mi (376,973 km²) | Census 2024 boundary file |
Life at 4,198 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for the state's sampled average elevation (4,198 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 86 % 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 Montana
- Big Sky7,220 ft
- Butte-Silver Bow5,815 ft
- Bozeman4,811 ft
- Helena (capital)4,048 ft
- Great Falls3,329 ft
- Missoula3,209 ft
- Billings3,122 ft
- Whitefish3,035 ft
- Kalispell2,955 ft
Largest places in Montana
The five incorporated places by 2024 Census population estimate.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Billings | 3,122 ft (952 m) · pop. 121,483 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Missoula | 3,209 ft (978 m) · pop. 78,204 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Great Falls | 3,329 ft (1,015 m) · pop. 60,013 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Bozeman | 4,811 ft (1,467 m) · pop. 57,894 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Butte-Silver Bow | 5,815 ft (1,772 m) · pop. 35,480 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest point in Montana?
Granite Peak at 12,799 ft (3,901 m), from USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001).
What is the lowest point in Montana?
Kootenai River, at 1,800 ft, per the USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001).
What is the average elevation of Montana?
About 4,198 ft (1,279 m): the mean of USGS 3DEP elevations at 208 points on a regular grid about 41 km apart inside the state boundary. It is our estimate, not a published figure.
Which Montana city on this site is highest?
Big Sky, at 7,220 ft downtown (USGS). The lowest is Kalispell at 2,955 ft.
Does altitude affect cooking in Montana?
At 4,198 ft, water boils at about 204.4 °F (95.8 °C) and standard air pressure is 25.65 inHg (869 hPa), so each breath holds about 86% of the oxygen it would at sea level. That is for the state's average elevation; check your own town, because Montana spans 10,999 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