Lincoln, NE elevation
Downtown Lincoln sits at 1,202 ft (366 m) above sea level. Across the city limits the ground varies by about 291 ft.
USGS elevation downtown
1,202ft
366 m above sea level
Ground elevation at 40.80000, -96.66696 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).
Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service
- Range inside city limits (sampled)
- 1,127 to 1,418 ft
- 343 to 432 m · 153 USGS points
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- Average of sampled points
- 1,220 ft (372 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 Lincoln
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
Lincoln covers 101.1 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 153 sampled points run from 1,127 ft (343 m) to 1,418 ft (432 m), a spread of 291 ft. The average of those points is 1,220 ft, close to the downtown value.
Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 153 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 1,300 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.
Life at 1,202 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown Lincoln (1,202 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.
- Home canning
- Above 1,000 ft, USDA processing times and pressure-canner pounds go up.
- Canning adjustments
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.
Lincoln compared with nearby and similar-size cities
- Seward, NE1,490 ft
- Crete, NE1,356 ft
- Hickman, NE1,269 ft
- Lincoln (downtown)1,202 ft
- Waverly, NE1,123 ft
- Ashland, NE1,088 ft
- Madison, WI875 ft
- St. Paul, MN789 ft
- Pittsburgh, PA765 ft
- Anchorage, AK104 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Lincoln | 1,202 ft (366 m) | USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates |
| Highest sampled point | 1,418 ft (432 m) · 5.8 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Lowest sampled point | 1,127 ft (343 m) · 5.3 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Nearest public airport: Lincoln (KLNK) | 1,219 ft (372 m) · 6.0 mi away | FAA field elevation |
Lincoln at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 300,619 (July 1, 2024) | U.S. Census Bureau estimate |
| Land area | 101.1 sq mi (261.8 km²) | Census 2024 Gazetteer |
| County | Lancaster | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | Lincoln | USGS GNIS |
| Downtown coordinates | 40.80000, -96.66696 | USGS GNIS |
More places and tools
Nearest city pages
- Topeka, KS — 948 ft, 132 mi (212 km) away
- Des Moines, IA — 873 ft, 168 mi (271 km) away
- Jefferson City, MO — 630 ft, 284 mi (457 km) away
- Pierre, SD — 1,479 ft, 310 mi (498 km) away
- St. Paul, MN — 789 ft, 339 mi (545 km) away
- All Nebraska elevations
Tools pre-filled for 1,202 ft
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation of Lincoln, NE?
Downtown Lincoln is 1,202 ft (366 m) above sea level, from the USGS 3D Elevation Program at the city-center coordinates. Inside the city limits, USGS values at 153 sampled points run from 1,127 to 1,418 ft.
What is the highest point in Lincoln?
The highest of our 153 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 1,418 ft (432 m), about 5.8 mi from downtown (40.7346, -96.5959). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.
What is the lowest point in Lincoln?
The lowest sampled point is 1,127 ft (343 m), about 5.3 mi from downtown. That is 291 ft below the highest sampled point.
At what temperature does water boil in Lincoln?
At 1,202 ft, water boils at about 209.8 °F (98.8 °C) and standard air pressure is 28.64 inHg (970 hPa), so each breath holds about 96% 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 Lincoln?
Lincoln (KLNK), 6.0 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 1,218.7 ft (372 m).
Do I need to adjust canning times in Lincoln?
Yes. At 1,202 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 1,127 to 1,418 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