New Mexico elevation
New Mexico runs from 2,842 ft at Red Bluff Reservoir to 13,167 ft at Mount Wheeler, with an average of about 5,771 ft.
Highest point: Mount Wheeler
13,167ft
4,013 m above sea level
NGS survey mark WHEELER (PID GM0779), Taos County · NAVD 88 (current U.S. vertical datum)
Source: NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet GM0779 (mark last recovered 2002-09-05)
- Lowest point: Red Bluff Reservoir
- 2,842 ft (866 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)
- 5,771 ft (1,759 m)
- Mean of 233 USGS points about 38 km apart; an estimate, not a published figure.
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- USGS table figure for the high point
- 13,161 ft
- Older survey on the NGVD 29 datum.
- Source: USGS Elevations and Distances (revised 2001)
Data updated · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made
New Mexico places on this site
Cities and towns (USGS, downtown)
- Santa Fe6,997 ft
- Albuquerque4,955 ft
- Las Cruces3,910 ft
Mountains and peaks
- Mount Wheeler13,167 ft
New Mexico elevation facts
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Highest point: Mount Wheeler | 13,167 ft (4,013 m) | NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet GM0779 (mark last recovered 2002-09-05) |
| Lowest point: Red Bluff Reservoir | 2,842 ft (866 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Vertical range | 10,325 ft (3,147 m) | Difference of the two figures above |
| Average elevation (sampled) | 5,771 ft (1,759 m) | USGS 3DEP, 233 grid points |
| USGS 3DEP value at the high point | 13,157 ft (4,010 m) | USGS 3DEP, within 250 m of the GNIS summit |
| Capital: Santa Fe | 6,997 ft (2,133 m) | USGS 3DEP at the city center |
| Land area | 121,313 sq mi (314,199 km²) | Census 2024 boundary file |
Life at 5,771 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for the state's sampled average elevation (5,771 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 81 % 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 New Mexico
- Santa Fe (capital)6,997 ft
- Rio Rancho5,277 ft
- Albuquerque4,955 ft
- Las Cruces3,910 ft
- Roswell3,574 ft
Largest places in New Mexico
The five incorporated places by 2024 Census population estimate.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | 4,955 ft (1,510 m) · pop. 560,326 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Las Cruces | 3,910 ft (1,192 m) · pop. 116,998 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Rio Rancho | 5,277 ft (1,608 m) · pop. 112,524 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Santa Fe | 6,997 ft (2,133 m) · pop. 90,551 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Roswell | 3,574 ft (1,089 m) · pop. 47,176 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest point in New Mexico?
Mount Wheeler at 13,167 ft (4,013 m), from NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet GM0779 (mark last recovered 2002-09-05). The USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001) lists 13,161 ft, an older survey on the NGVD 29 datum.
What is the lowest point in New Mexico?
Red Bluff Reservoir, at 2,842 ft, per the USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001).
What is the average elevation of New Mexico?
About 5,771 ft (1,759 m): the mean of USGS 3DEP elevations at 233 points on a regular grid about 38 km apart inside the state boundary. It is our estimate, not a published figure.
Which New Mexico city on this site is highest?
Santa Fe, at 6,997 ft downtown (USGS). The lowest is Las Cruces at 3,910 ft.
Does altitude affect cooking in New Mexico?
At 5,771 ft, water boils at about 201.5 °F (94.2 °C) and standard air pressure is 24.19 inHg (819 hPa), so each breath holds about 81% of the oxygen it would at sea level. That is for the state's average elevation; check your own town, because New Mexico spans 10,325 ft from lowest to highest.
Sources
- NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet GM0779 (mark last recovered 2002-09-05) — 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