Columbia, SC elevation
Downtown Columbia sits at 299 ft (91 m) above sea level. Across the city limits the ground varies by about 389 ft.
USGS elevation downtown
299ft
91 m above sea level
Ground elevation at 34.00071, -81.03481 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).
Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service
- Range inside city limits (sampled)
- 114 to 503 ft
- 35 to 153 m · 157 USGS points
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- Average of sampled points
- 288 ft (88 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 Columbia
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
Columbia covers 138.5 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 157 sampled points run from 114 ft (35 m) to 503 ft (153 m), a spread of 389 ft. The average of those points is 288 ft, close to the downtown value.
Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 157 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 1,521 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.
Life at 299 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown Columbia (299 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 99 % of sea level
- Air is still 20.9% oxygen; there is just less air.
- Oxygen calculator
- Home canning
- At or below 1,000 ft, use the standard USDA sea-level times.
- Canning adjustments · Baking
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.
Columbia compared with nearby and similar-size cities
- West Valley City, UT4,306 ft
- Topeka, KS948 ft
- Lexington, SC394 ft
- Irmo, SC356 ft
- Columbia (downtown)299 ft
- West Columbia, SC283 ft
- Jackson, MS279 ft
- Forest Acres, SC252 ft
- Cayce, SC237 ft
- Charleston, SC10 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Columbia | 299 ft (91 m) | USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates |
| Highest sampled point | 503 ft (153 m) · 9.8 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Lowest sampled point | 114 ft (35 m) · 3.1 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Nearest public airport: Jim Hamilton L B Owens (KCUB) | 193 ft (59 m) · 3.1 mi away | FAA field elevation |
Columbia at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 144,788 (July 1, 2024) | U.S. Census Bureau estimate |
| Land area | 138.5 sq mi (358.7 km²) | Census 2024 Gazetteer |
| County | Richland | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | Columbia North | USGS GNIS |
| Downtown coordinates | 34.00071, -81.03481 | USGS GNIS |
More places and tools
Nearest city pages
- Augusta, GA — 141 ft, 65 mi (105 km) away
- Charlotte, NC — 763 ft, 85 mi (137 km) away
- Charleston, SC — 10 ft, 106 mi (170 km) away
- Winston-Salem, NC — 911 ft, 152 mi (244 km) away
- Raleigh, NC — 315 ft, 183 mi (294 km) away
- All South Carolina elevations
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation of Columbia, SC?
Downtown Columbia is 299 ft (91 m) above sea level, from the USGS 3D Elevation Program at the city-center coordinates. Inside the city limits, USGS values at 157 sampled points run from 114 to 503 ft.
What is the highest point in Columbia?
The highest of our 157 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 503 ft (153 m), about 9.8 mi from downtown (34.0242, -80.8661). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.
What is the lowest point in Columbia?
The lowest sampled point is 114 ft (35 m), about 3.1 mi from downtown. That is 389 ft below the highest sampled point.
At what temperature does water boil in Columbia?
At 299 ft, water boils at about 211.5 °F (99.7 °C) and standard air pressure is 29.60 inHg (1,002 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 Columbia?
Jim Hamilton L B Owens (KCUB), 3.1 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 193.4 ft (59 m).
Do I need to adjust canning times in Columbia?
Downtown Columbia is at 299 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