Missoula, MT elevation
Downtown Missoula sits at 3,209 ft (978 m) above sea level. The city limits climb well above that: the highest of our USGS sample points is 4,535 ft, 3.7 mi from downtown.
USGS elevation downtown
3,209ft
978 m above sea level
Ground elevation at 46.87215, -113.99400 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).
Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service
- Range inside city limits (sampled)
- 3,090 to 4,535 ft
- 942 to 1,382 m · 154 USGS points
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- Average of sampled points
- 3,342 ft (1,019 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 Missoula
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
Missoula covers 35.0 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 154 sampled points run from 3,090 ft (942 m) to 4,535 ft (1,382 m), a spread of 1,445 ft. The average of those points is 3,342 ft, higher than downtown.
Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 154 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 765 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.
Life at 3,209 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown Missoula (3,209 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 89 % 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.
Missoula compared with nearby and similar-size cities
- Santa Fe, NM6,997 ft
- Ogden, UT4,303 ft
- Pinesdale, MT3,966 ft
- Hamilton, MT3,570 ft
- Stevensville, MT3,322 ft
- Rapid City, SD3,243 ft
- Missoula (downtown)3,209 ft
- Ronan, MT3,055 ft
- Superior, MT2,752 ft
- Bismarck, ND1,695 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Missoula | 3,209 ft (978 m) | USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates |
| Highest sampled point | 4,535 ft (1,382 m) · 3.7 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Lowest sampled point | 3,090 ft (942 m) · 6.9 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Nearest public airport: Missoula Montana (KMSO) | 3,206 ft (977 m) · 5.5 mi away | FAA field elevation |
Missoula at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 78,204 (July 1, 2024) | U.S. Census Bureau estimate |
| Land area | 35.0 sq mi (90.7 km²) | Census 2024 Gazetteer |
| County | Missoula | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | Southeast Missoula | USGS GNIS |
| Downtown coordinates | 46.87215, -113.99400 | USGS GNIS |
More places and tools
Nearest city pages
- Kalispell, MT — 2,955 ft, 93 mi (149 km) away
- Helena, MT — 4,048 ft, 95 mi (152 km) away
- Whitefish, MT — 3,035 ft, 108 mi (173 km) away
- Bozeman, MT — 4,811 ft, 163 mi (263 km) away
- Big Sky, MT — 7,220 ft, 167 mi (269 km) away
- All Montana elevations
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation of Missoula, MT?
Downtown Missoula is 3,209 ft (978 m) above sea level, from the USGS 3D Elevation Program at the city-center coordinates. Inside the city limits, USGS values at 154 sampled points run from 3,090 to 4,535 ft.
What is the highest point in Missoula?
The highest of our 154 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 4,535 ft (1,382 m), about 3.7 mi from downtown (46.9118, -113.9413). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.
What is the lowest point in Missoula?
The lowest sampled point is 3,090 ft (942 m), about 6.9 mi from downtown. That is 1,445 ft below the highest sampled point.
At what temperature does water boil in Missoula?
At 3,209 ft, water boils at about 206.2 °F (96.8 °C) and standard air pressure is 26.61 inHg (901 hPa), so each breath holds about 89% 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 Missoula?
Missoula Montana (KMSO), 5.5 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 3,205.6 ft (977 m).
Do I need to adjust canning times in Missoula?
Yes. At 3,209 ft downtown, USDA tables call for longer boiling-water processing times and higher weighted-gauge pressure than at sea level. Check your own address, because the city spans 3,090 to 4,535 ft.
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