Oklahoma elevation
Oklahoma runs from 289 ft at Little River to 4,973 ft at Black Mesa, with an average of about 1,298 ft.
Highest point: Black Mesa
4,973ft
1,516 m above sea level
Black Mesa, Cimarron County · NGVD 29 (the older U.S. vertical datum)
- Lowest point: Little River
- 289 ft (88 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)
- 1,298 ft (396 m)
- Mean of 217 USGS points about 28 km apart; an estimate, not a published figure.
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
Data updated · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made
Oklahoma places on this site
Cities and towns (USGS, downtown)
- Oklahoma City1,196 ft
Oklahoma elevation facts
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Highest point: Black Mesa | 4,973 ft (1,516 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Lowest point: Little River | 289 ft (88 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Vertical range | 4,684 ft (1,428 m) | Difference of the two figures above |
| Average elevation (sampled) | 1,298 ft (396 m) | USGS 3DEP, 217 grid points |
| Capital: Oklahoma City | 1,196 ft (365 m) | USGS 3DEP at the city center |
| Land area | 68,597 sq mi (177,665 km²) | Census 2024 boundary file |
Life at 1,298 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for the state's sampled average elevation (1,298 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 95 % 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.
City elevations in Oklahoma
- Edmond1,204 ft
- Oklahoma City (capital)1,196 ft
- Norman1,174 ft
- Broken Arrow756 ft
- Tulsa722 ft
Largest places in Oklahoma
The five incorporated places by 2024 Census population estimate.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City | 1,196 ft (365 m) · pop. 712,919 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Tulsa | 722 ft (220 m) · pop. 415,154 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Norman | 1,174 ft (358 m) · pop. 131,010 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Broken Arrow | 756 ft (230 m) · pop. 122,756 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Edmond | 1,204 ft (367 m) · pop. 99,040 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest point in Oklahoma?
Black Mesa at 4,973 ft (1,516 m), from USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001).
What is the lowest point in Oklahoma?
Little River, at 289 ft, per the USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001).
What is the average elevation of Oklahoma?
About 1,298 ft (396 m): the mean of USGS 3DEP elevations at 217 points on a regular grid about 28 km apart inside the state boundary. It is our estimate, not a published figure.
Which Oklahoma city on this site is highest?
Oklahoma City, at 1,196 ft downtown (USGS).
Does altitude affect cooking in Oklahoma?
At 1,298 ft, water boils at about 209.6 °F (98.7 °C) and standard air pressure is 28.54 inHg (967 hPa), so each breath holds about 95% of the oxygen it would at sea level. That is for the state's average elevation; check your own town, because Oklahoma spans 4,684 ft from lowest to highest.
Sources
- USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) — 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