Nebraska elevation
Nebraska runs from 840 ft at Missouri River to 5,424 ft at Panorama Point, with an average of about 2,577 ft.
Highest point: Panorama Point
5,424ft
1,653 m above sea level
Panorama Point, Kimball County · NGVD 29 (the older U.S. vertical datum)
- Lowest point: Missouri River
- 840 ft (256 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)
- 2,577 ft (786 m)
- Mean of 218 USGS points about 30 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
Nebraska places on this site
Cities and towns (USGS, downtown)
- Lincoln1,202 ft
Nebraska elevation facts
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Highest point: Panorama Point | 5,424 ft (1,653 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Lowest point: Missouri River | 840 ft (256 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Vertical range | 4,584 ft (1,397 m) | Difference of the two figures above |
| Average elevation (sampled) | 2,577 ft (786 m) | USGS 3DEP, 218 grid points |
| USGS 3DEP value at the high point | 5,429 ft (1,655 m) | USGS 3DEP, within 250 m of the GNIS summit |
| Capital: Lincoln | 1,202 ft (366 m) | USGS 3DEP at the city center |
| Land area | 76,815 sq mi (198,950 km²) | Census 2024 boundary file |
Life at 2,577 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for the state's sampled average elevation (2,577 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 91 % 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 Nebraska
- Kearney2,152 ft
- Grand Island1,862 ft
- Lincoln (capital)1,202 ft
- Omaha1,056 ft
- Bellevue1,034 ft
Largest places in Nebraska
The five incorporated places by 2024 Census population estimate.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Omaha | 1,056 ft (322 m) · pop. 489,265 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Lincoln | 1,202 ft (366 m) · pop. 300,619 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Bellevue | 1,034 ft (315 m) · pop. 64,777 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Grand Island | 1,862 ft (568 m) · pop. 53,250 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Kearney | 2,152 ft (656 m) · pop. 34,741 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest point in Nebraska?
Panorama Point at 5,424 ft (1,653 m), from USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001).
What is the lowest point in Nebraska?
Missouri River, at 840 ft, per the USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001).
What is the average elevation of Nebraska?
About 2,577 ft (786 m): the mean of USGS 3DEP elevations at 218 points on a regular grid about 30 km apart inside the state boundary. It is our estimate, not a published figure.
Which Nebraska city on this site is highest?
Lincoln, at 1,202 ft downtown (USGS).
Does altitude affect cooking in Nebraska?
At 2,577 ft, water boils at about 207.3 °F (97.4 °C) and standard air pressure is 27.24 inHg (922 hPa), so each breath holds about 91% of the oxygen it would at sea level. That is for the state's average elevation; check your own town, because Nebraska spans 4,584 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