Las Cruces, NM elevation
Downtown Las Cruces sits at 3,910 ft (1,192 m) above sea level. The city limits climb well above that: the highest of our USGS sample points is 4,609 ft, 7.0 mi from downtown.
USGS elevation downtown
3,910ft
1,192 m above sea level
Ground elevation at 32.31232, -106.77834 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).
Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service
- Range inside city limits (sampled)
- 3,883 to 4,609 ft
- 1,184 to 1,405 m · 165 USGS points
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- Average of sampled points
- 4,235 ft (1,291 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 Las Cruces
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
Las Cruces covers 76.9 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 165 sampled points run from 3,883 ft (1,184 m) to 4,609 ft (1,405 m), a spread of 726 ft. The average of those points is 4,235 ft, higher than downtown.
Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 165 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 1,134 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.
Life at 3,910 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown Las Cruces (3,910 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 87 % 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.
Las Cruces compared with nearby and similar-size cities
- Provo, UT4,553 ft
- West jordan, UT4,373 ft
- Las Cruces (downtown)3,910 ft
- Mesilla, NM3,884 ft
- Anthony, TX3,804 ft
- Anthony, NM3,800 ft
- Lansing, MI853 ft
- Springfield, IL600 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Las Cruces | 3,910 ft (1,192 m) | USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates |
| Highest sampled point | 4,609 ft (1,405 m) · 7.0 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Lowest sampled point | 3,883 ft (1,184 m) · 1.7 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Nearest public airport: Las Cruces Intl (KLRU) | 4,457 ft (1,359 m) · 8.5 mi away | FAA field elevation |
Las Cruces at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 116,998 (July 1, 2024) | U.S. Census Bureau estimate |
| Land area | 76.9 sq mi (199.3 km²) | Census 2024 Gazetteer |
| County | Doña Ana | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | Las Cruces | USGS GNIS |
| Downtown coordinates | 32.31232, -106.77834 | USGS GNIS |
More places and tools
Nearest city pages
- Albuquerque, NM — 4,955 ft, 192 mi (308 km) away
- Santa Fe, NM — 6,997 ft, 238 mi (383 km) away
- Tucson, AZ — 2,481 ft, 242 mi (390 km) away
- Scottsdale, AZ — 1,259 ft, 308 mi (496 km) away
- Phoenix, AZ — 1,088 ft, 317 mi (510 km) away
- All New Mexico elevations
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation of Las Cruces, NM?
Downtown Las Cruces is 3,910 ft (1,192 m) above sea level, from the USGS 3D Elevation Program at the city-center coordinates. Inside the city limits, USGS values at 165 sampled points run from 3,883 to 4,609 ft.
What is the highest point in Las Cruces?
The highest of our 165 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 4,609 ft (1,405 m), about 7.0 mi from downtown (32.3492, -106.6659). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.
What is the lowest point in Las Cruces?
The lowest sampled point is 3,883 ft (1,184 m), about 1.7 mi from downtown. That is 726 ft below the highest sampled point.
At what temperature does water boil in Las Cruces?
At 3,910 ft, water boils at about 204.9 °F (96.0 °C) and standard air pressure is 25.93 inHg (878 hPa), so each breath holds about 87% 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 Las Cruces?
Las Cruces Intl (KLRU), 8.5 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 4,456.9 ft (1,359 m).
Do I need to adjust canning times in Las Cruces?
Yes. At 3,910 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 3,883 to 4,609 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