Pennsylvania elevation
Pennsylvania runs from sea level (Delaware River) to 3,213 ft at Mount Davis, with an average of about 1,245 ft.
Highest point: Mount Davis
3,213ft
979 m above sea level
Mount Davis, Somerset County · NGVD 29 (the older U.S. vertical datum)
- Lowest point: Delaware River
- 0 ft (sea level)
- Source: USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001)
- Average elevation (sampled)
- 1,245 ft (379 m)
- Mean of 221 USGS points about 23 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
Pennsylvania places on this site
Cities and towns (USGS, downtown)
- Pittsburgh765 ft
- Harrisburg334 ft
- Philadelphia35 ft
Pennsylvania elevation facts
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Highest point: Mount Davis | 3,213 ft (979 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Lowest point: Delaware River | Sea level | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Vertical range | 3,213 ft (979 m) | Difference of the two figures above |
| Average elevation (sampled) | 1,245 ft (379 m) | USGS 3DEP, 221 grid points |
| USGS 3DEP value at the high point | 3,209 ft (978 m) | USGS 3DEP, within 250 m of the GNIS summit |
| Capital: Harrisburg | 334 ft (102 m) | USGS 3DEP at the city center |
| Land area | 44,742 sq mi (115,881 km²) | Census 2024 boundary file |
Life at 1,245 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for the state's sampled average elevation (1,245 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 96 % 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 Pennsylvania
- Pittsburgh765 ft
- Erie652 ft
- Allentown342 ft
- Harrisburg (capital)334 ft
- Reading256 ft
- Philadelphia35 ft
Largest places in Pennsylvania
The five incorporated places by 2024 Census population estimate.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | 35 ft (11 m) · pop. 1,573,916 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Pittsburgh | 765 ft (233 m) · pop. 307,668 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Allentown | 342 ft (104 m) · pop. 127,138 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Reading | 256 ft (78 m) · pop. 96,000 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Erie | 652 ft (199 m) · pop. 92,940 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest point in Pennsylvania?
Mount Davis at 3,213 ft (979 m), from USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001).
What is the lowest point in Pennsylvania?
Delaware River, at sea level, per the USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001).
What is the average elevation of Pennsylvania?
About 1,245 ft (379 m): the mean of USGS 3DEP elevations at 221 points on a regular grid about 23 km apart inside the state boundary. It is our estimate, not a published figure.
Which Pennsylvania city on this site is highest?
Pittsburgh, at 765 ft downtown (USGS). The lowest is Philadelphia at 35 ft.
Does altitude affect cooking in Pennsylvania?
At 1,245 ft, water boils at about 209.7 °F (98.7 °C) and standard air pressure is 28.60 inHg (968 hPa), so each breath holds about 96% of the oxygen it would at sea level. That is for the state's average elevation; check your own town, because Pennsylvania spans 3,213 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