Salem, OR elevation

Downtown Salem sits at 157 ft (48 m) above sea level. Across the city limits the ground varies by about 499 ft.

USGS elevation downtown

157ft

48 m above sea level

Ground elevation at 44.94290, -123.03510 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).

Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service

Range inside city limits (sampled): 113 to 612 ft; 34 to 187 m · 161 USGS points; Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
Average of sampled points: 266 ft (81 m); Source: USGS 3DEP

Data updated 2026-10-26 · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made

Check your exact spot in Salem

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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Map: USGS The National Map topographic basemap (US coverage).

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Elevation range inside the city limits

Salem covers 48.9 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 161 sampled points run from 113 ft (34 m) to 612 ft (187 m), a spread of 499 ft. The average of those points is 266 ft, higher than downtown.

Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 161 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 904 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.

Life at 157 ft

Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown Salem (157 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.

Water boils at: 211.7 °F; 99.8 °C; Boiling point calculator
Air pressure: 29.75 inHg; 1,008 hPa · 14.61 psi; Pressure calculator
Oxygen per breath: 99 % of sea level; Air is still 20.9% oxygen; there is just less air.
Home canning: At or below 1,000 ft, use the standard USDA sea-level times.; 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.

Salem compared with nearby and similar-size cities

Fort Collins, CO5,004 ft
Eugene, OR430 ft
Dallas, OR326 ft
Montgomery, AL238 ft
Albany, OR212 ft
Woodburn, OR186 ft
Salem (downtown)157 ft
McMinnville, OR153 ft
Keizer, OR141 ft
Providence, RI9 ft

USGS elevation at each city's center point. Nearby: the largest places around this city (by 2024 Census population estimate; by land area in Hawaii, which has no incorporated places). Similar size: other cities on this site with a population within a factor of two.

Landmark elevations

What	Value	Source
Downtown Salem	157 ft (48 m)	USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates
Highest sampled point	612 ft (187 m) · 5.2 mi from downtown	USGS 3DEP grid sample
Lowest sampled point	113 ft (34 m) · 1.8 mi from downtown	USGS 3DEP grid sample
Nearest public airport: McNary Fld (KSLE)	213 ft (65 m) · 2.8 mi away	FAA field elevation

Salem at a glance

What	Value	Source
Population	180,406 (July 1, 2024)	U.S. Census Bureau estimate
Land area	48.9 sq mi (126.8 km²)	Census 2024 Gazetteer
County	Marion	USGS GNIS
USGS 7.5-minute topo map	Salem West	USGS GNIS
Downtown coordinates	44.94290, -123.03510	USGS GNIS

More places and tools

Nearest city pages

Portland, OR — 32 ft, 44 mi (70 km) away
Eugene, OR — 430 ft, 62 mi (99 km) away
Sisters, OR — 3,186 ft, 86 mi (138 km) away
Hood River, OR — 422 ft, 90 mi (146 km) away
Bend, OR — 3,625 ft, 104 mi (168 km) away
All Oregon elevations

Tools pre-filled for 157 ft

Frequently asked questions

What is the elevation of Salem, OR?

Downtown Salem is 157 ft (48 m) above sea level, from the USGS 3D Elevation Program at the city-center coordinates. Inside the city limits, USGS values at 161 sampled points run from 113 to 612 ft.

What is the highest point in Salem?

The highest of our 161 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 612 ft (187 m), about 5.2 mi from downtown (44.8720, -123.0711). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.

What is the lowest point in Salem?

The lowest sampled point is 113 ft (34 m), about 1.8 mi from downtown. That is 499 ft below the highest sampled point.

At what temperature does water boil in Salem?

At 157 ft, water boils at about 211.7 °F (99.8 °C) and standard air pressure is 29.75 inHg (1,008 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 Salem?

McNary Fld (KSLE), 2.8 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 213.4 ft (65 m).

Do I need to adjust canning times in Salem?

Downtown Salem is at 157 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 2026-10-26 · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made