Oregon elevation
Oregon runs from sea level (Pacific Ocean) to 11,247 ft at Mount Hood, with an average of about 3,490 ft.
Highest point: Mount Hood
11,247ft
3,428 m above sea level
NGS survey mark MOUNT HOOD (PID RC2241), Clackamas- Hood River County · NAVD 88 (current U.S. vertical datum)
Source: NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet RC2241 (mark last recovered 1942)
- Lowest point: Pacific Ocean
- 0 ft (sea level)
- Source: USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001)
- Average elevation (sampled)
- 3,490 ft (1,064 m)
- Mean of 224 USGS points about 34 km apart; an estimate, not a published figure.
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- USGS table figure for the high point
- 11,239 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
Oregon places on this site
Cities and towns (USGS, downtown)
Mountains and peaks
- Mount Hood11,247 ft
- Mount Jefferson10,489 ft
- Mount Scott8,894 ft
Oregon elevation facts
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Highest point: Mount Hood | 11,247 ft (3,428 m) | NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet RC2241 (mark last recovered 1942) |
| Lowest point: Pacific Ocean | Sea level | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Vertical range | 11,247 ft (3,428 m) | Difference of the two figures above |
| Average elevation (sampled) | 3,490 ft (1,064 m) | USGS 3DEP, 224 grid points |
| USGS 3DEP value at the high point | 11,235 ft (3,424 m) | USGS 3DEP, within 250 m of the GNIS summit |
| Capital: Salem | 157 ft (48 m) | USGS 3DEP at the city center |
| Land area | 95,997 sq mi (248,630 km²) | Census 2024 boundary file |
Life at 3,490 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for the state's sampled average elevation (3,490 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 88 % 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 Oregon
- Bend3,625 ft
- Sisters3,186 ft
- Eugene430 ft
- Hood River422 ft
- Gresham319 ft
- Hillsboro195 ft
- Salem (capital)157 ft
- Portland32 ft
Largest places in Oregon
The five incorporated places by 2024 Census population estimate.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Portland | 32 ft (10 m) · pop. 635,749 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Salem | 157 ft (48 m) · pop. 180,406 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Eugene | 430 ft (131 m) · pop. 178,786 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Gresham | 319 ft (97 m) · pop. 111,507 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Hillsboro | 195 ft (60 m) · pop. 110,337 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest point in Oregon?
Mount Hood at 11,247 ft (3,428 m), from NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet RC2241 (mark last recovered 1942). The USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001) lists 11,239 ft, an older survey on the NGVD 29 datum.
What is the lowest point in Oregon?
Pacific Ocean, at sea level, per the USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001).
What is the average elevation of Oregon?
About 3,490 ft (1,064 m): the mean of USGS 3DEP elevations at 224 points on a regular grid about 34 km apart inside the state boundary. It is our estimate, not a published figure.
Which Oregon city on this site is highest?
Bend, at 3,625 ft downtown (USGS). The lowest is Portland at 32 ft.
Does altitude affect cooking in Oregon?
At 3,490 ft, water boils at about 205.7 °F (96.5 °C) and standard air pressure is 26.34 inHg (892 hPa), so each breath holds about 88% of the oxygen it would at sea level. That is for the state's average elevation; check your own town, because Oregon spans 11,247 ft from lowest to highest.
Sources
- NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet RC2241 (mark last recovered 1942) — 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