Albuquerque, NM elevation
Downtown Albuquerque sits at 4,955 ft (1,510 m) above sea level. The city limits climb well above that: the highest of our USGS sample points is 6,319 ft, 10 mi from downtown.
USGS elevation downtown
4,955ft
1,510 m above sea level
Ground elevation at 35.08449, -106.65114 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).
Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service
- Range inside city limits (sampled)
- 4,940 to 6,319 ft
- 1,506 to 1,926 m · 155 USGS points
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- Average of sampled points
- 5,378 ft (1,639 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 Albuquerque
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
Albuquerque covers 187.3 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 155 sampled points run from 4,940 ft (1,506 m) to 6,319 ft (1,926 m), a spread of 1,379 ft. The average of those points is 5,378 ft, higher than downtown.
Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 155 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 1,769 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.
Life at 4,955 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown Albuquerque (4,955 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 83 % 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.
Albuquerque compared with nearby and similar-size cities
- Rio Rancho, NM5,277 ft
- Bernalillo, NM5,052 ft
- Corrales, NM5,017 ft
- Albuquerque (downtown)4,955 ft
- Los Lunas, NM4,854 ft
- Belen, NM4,806 ft
- Tucson, AZ2,481 ft
- Atlanta, GA1,050 ft
- Raleigh, NC315 ft
- Sacramento, CA27 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Albuquerque | 4,955 ft (1,510 m) | USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates |
| Highest sampled point | 6,319 ft (1,926 m) · 10 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Lowest sampled point | 4,940 ft (1,506 m) · 2.4 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Nearest public airport: Albuquerque Intl Sunport (KABQ) | 5,355 ft (1,632 m) · 4.0 mi away | FAA field elevation |
Albuquerque at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 560,326 (July 1, 2024) | U.S. Census Bureau estimate |
| Land area | 187.3 sq mi (485.0 km²) | Census 2024 Gazetteer |
| County | Bernalillo | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | Albuquerque West | USGS GNIS |
| Downtown coordinates | 35.08449, -106.65114 | USGS GNIS |
More places and tools
Nearest city pages
- Santa Fe, NM — 6,997 ft, 58 mi (93 km) away
- Las Cruces, NM — 3,910 ft, 192 mi (308 km) away
- Colorado Springs, CO — 6,009 ft, 278 mi (447 km) away
- Tucson, AZ — 2,481 ft, 316 mi (508 km) away
- Scottsdale, AZ — 1,259 ft, 319 mi (513 km) away
- All New Mexico elevations
Tools pre-filled for 4,955 ft
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation of Albuquerque, NM?
Downtown Albuquerque is 4,955 ft (1,510 m) above sea level, from the USGS 3D Elevation Program at the city-center coordinates. Inside the city limits, USGS values at 155 sampled points run from 4,940 to 6,319 ft.
What is the highest point in Albuquerque?
The highest of our 155 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 6,319 ft (1,926 m), about 10 mi from downtown (35.0978, -106.4747). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.
What is the lowest point in Albuquerque?
The lowest sampled point is 4,940 ft (1,506 m), about 2.4 mi from downtown. That is 1,379 ft below the highest sampled point.
At what temperature does water boil in Albuquerque?
At 4,955 ft, water boils at about 203.0 °F (95.0 °C) and standard air pressure is 24.94 inHg (844 hPa), so each breath holds about 83% 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 Albuquerque?
Albuquerque Intl Sunport (KABQ), 4.0 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 5,354.9 ft (1,632 m).
Do I need to adjust canning times in Albuquerque?
Yes. At 4,955 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 4,940 to 6,319 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