Providence, RI elevation
Downtown Providence sits at 9 ft (3 m) above sea level. Across the city limits the ground varies by about 196 ft.
USGS elevation downtown
9ft
3 m above sea level
Ground elevation at 41.82399, -71.41283 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).
Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service
- Range inside city limits (sampled)
- -2 to 194 ft
- -1 to 59 m · 171 USGS points
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- Average of sampled points
- 67 ft (21 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 Providence
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
Providence covers 18.4 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 171 sampled points run from -2 ft (-1 m) to 194 ft (59 m), a spread of 196 ft. The average of those points is 67 ft, higher than downtown.
Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 171 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 555 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.
Life at 9 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown Providence (9 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 100 % of sea level
- Air is still 20.9% oxygen; there is just less air.
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.
Providence compared with nearby and similar-size cities
- Little Rock, AR337 ft
- Montgomery, AL238 ft
- Tallahassee, FL204 ft
- Augusta, GA141 ft
- Fall River, MA120 ft
- Cranston, RI65 ft
- Pawtucket, RI39 ft
- Warwick, RI18 ft
- Taunton, MA15 ft
- Providence (downtown)9 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Providence | 9 ft (3 m) | USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates |
| Highest sampled point | 194 ft (59 m) · 2.8 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Lowest sampled point | -2 ft (-1 m) · 3.0 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Nearest public airport: Rhode Island TF Green Intl (KPVD) | 54 ft (17 m) · 7.1 mi away | FAA field elevation |
Providence at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 194,706 (July 1, 2024) | U.S. Census Bureau estimate |
| Land area | 18.4 sq mi (47.7 km²) | Census 2024 Gazetteer |
| County | Providence | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | Providence | USGS GNIS |
| Downtown coordinates | 41.82399, -71.41283 | USGS GNIS |
More places and tools
Nearest city pages
- Boston, MA — 48 ft, 41 mi (66 km) away
- Hartford, CT — 51 ft, 66 mi (106 km) away
- Concord, NH — 274 ft, 96 mi (154 km) away
- Albany, NY — 143 ft, 133 mi (214 km) away
- Montpelier, VT — 522 ft, 178 mi (287 km) away
- All Rhode Island elevations
Tools pre-filled for 9 ft
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation of Providence, RI?
Downtown Providence is 9 ft (3 m) above sea level, from the USGS 3D Elevation Program at the city-center coordinates. Inside the city limits, USGS values at 171 sampled points run from -2 to 194 ft.
What is the highest point in Providence?
The highest of our 171 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 194 ft (59 m), about 2.8 mi from downtown (41.8396, -71.4624). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.
What is the lowest point in Providence?
The lowest sampled point is -2 ft (-1 m), about 3.0 mi from downtown. That is 196 ft below the highest sampled point.
At what temperature does water boil in Providence?
At 9 ft, water boils at about 212.0 °F (100.0 °C) and standard air pressure is 29.91 inHg (1,013 hPa), so each breath holds about 100% 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 Providence?
Rhode Island TF Green Intl (KPVD), 7.1 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 54 ft (17 m).
Do I need to adjust canning times in Providence?
Downtown Providence is at 9 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