Raleigh, NC elevation
Downtown Raleigh sits at 315 ft (96 m) above sea level. Across the city limits the ground varies by about 343 ft.
USGS elevation downtown
315ft
96 m above sea level
Ground elevation at 35.77210, -78.63861 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).
Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service
- Range inside city limits (sampled)
- 172 to 515 ft
- 52 to 157 m · 159 USGS points
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- Average of sampled points
- 324 ft (99 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 Raleigh
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
Raleigh covers 150.9 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 159 sampled points run from 172 ft (52 m) to 515 ft (157 m), a spread of 343 ft. The average of those points is 324 ft, close to the downtown value.
Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 159 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 1,588 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.
Life at 315 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown Raleigh (315 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 99 % of sea level
- Air is still 20.9% oxygen; there is just less air.
- Oxygen calculator
- Home canning
- At or below 1,000 ft, use the standard USDA sea-level times.
- 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.
Raleigh compared with nearby and similar-size cities
- Colorado Springs, CO6,009 ft
- Tucson, AZ2,481 ft
- Atlanta, GA1,050 ft
- Apex, NC500 ft
- Cary, NC498 ft
- Holly Springs, NC441 ft
- Durham, NC395 ft
- Wake Forest, NC394 ft
- Raleigh (downtown)315 ft
- Sacramento, CA27 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Raleigh | 315 ft (96 m) | USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates |
| Highest sampled point | 515 ft (157 m) · 11 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Lowest sampled point | 172 ft (52 m) · 5.2 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Nearest public airport: Southern Wake Rgnl (5W5) | 243 ft (74 m) · 11 mi away | FAA field elevation |
Raleigh at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 499,825 (July 1, 2024) | U.S. Census Bureau estimate |
| Land area | 150.9 sq mi (390.9 km²) | Census 2024 Gazetteer |
| County | Wake | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | Raleigh West | USGS GNIS |
| Downtown coordinates | 35.77210, -78.63861 | USGS GNIS |
More places and tools
Nearest city pages
- Winston-Salem, NC — 911 ft, 93 mi (149 km) away
- Charlotte, NC — 763 ft, 130 mi (209 km) away
- Richmond, VA — 213 ft, 139 mi (224 km) away
- Columbia, SC — 299 ft, 183 mi (294 km) away
- Charleston, SC — 10 ft, 220 mi (354 km) away
- All North Carolina elevations
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation of Raleigh, NC?
Downtown Raleigh is 315 ft (96 m) above sea level, from the USGS 3D Elevation Program at the city-center coordinates. Inside the city limits, USGS values at 159 sampled points run from 172 to 515 ft.
What is the highest point in Raleigh?
The highest of our 159 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 515 ft (157 m), about 11 mi from downtown (35.9008, -78.7398). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.
What is the lowest point in Raleigh?
The lowest sampled point is 172 ft (52 m), about 5.2 mi from downtown. That is 343 ft below the highest sampled point.
At what temperature does water boil in Raleigh?
At 315 ft, water boils at about 211.4 °F (99.7 °C) and standard air pressure is 29.58 inHg (1,002 hPa), so each breath holds about 99% 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 Raleigh?
Southern Wake Rgnl (5W5), 11 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 243 ft (74 m).
Do I need to adjust canning times in Raleigh?
Downtown Raleigh is at 315 ft, so the USDA 0–1,000 ft column applies there.
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