Pierre, SD elevation
Downtown Pierre sits at 1,479 ft (451 m) above sea level. Across the city limits the ground varies by about 376 ft.
USGS elevation downtown
1,479ft
451 m above sea level
Ground elevation at 44.36832, -100.35097 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).
Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service
- Range inside city limits (sampled)
- 1,426 to 1,802 ft
- 435 to 549 m · 155 USGS points
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- Average of sampled points
- 1,604 ft (489 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 Pierre
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
Pierre covers 13.0 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 155 sampled points run from 1,426 ft (435 m) to 1,802 ft (549 m), a spread of 376 ft. The average of those points is 1,604 ft, higher than downtown.
Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 155 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 467 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.
Life at 1,479 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown Pierre (1,479 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 95 % 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.
Pierre compared with nearby and similar-size cities
- Jackson, WY6,238 ft
- South Lake Tahoe, CA6,238 ft
- Truckee, CA5,817 ft
- Whitefish, MT3,035 ft
- Gettysburg, SD2,065 ft
- Highmore, SD1,889 ft
- Onida, SD1,873 ft
- Presho, SD1,770 ft
- Pierre (downtown)1,479 ft
- Fort Pierre, SD1,439 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Pierre | 1,479 ft (451 m) | USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates |
| Highest sampled point | 1,802 ft (549 m) · 2.3 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Lowest sampled point | 1,426 ft (435 m) · 3.1 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Nearest public airport: Pierre Rgnl (KPIR) | 1,744 ft (532 m) · 3.4 mi away | FAA field elevation |
Pierre at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,788 (July 1, 2024) | U.S. Census Bureau estimate |
| Land area | 13.0 sq mi (33.7 km²) | Census 2024 Gazetteer |
| County | Hughes | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | Pierre | USGS GNIS |
| Downtown coordinates | 44.36832, -100.35097 | USGS GNIS |
More places and tools
Nearest city pages
- Rapid City, SD — 3,243 ft, 144 mi (232 km) away
- Bismarck, ND — 1,695 ft, 170 mi (273 km) away
- Lincoln, NE — 1,202 ft, 310 mi (498 km) away
- Cheyenne, WY — 6,091 ft, 318 mi (512 km) away
- Fort Collins, CO — 5,004 ft, 356 mi (572 km) away
- All South Dakota elevations
Tools pre-filled for 1,479 ft
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation of Pierre, SD?
Downtown Pierre is 1,479 ft (451 m) above sea level, from the USGS 3D Elevation Program at the city-center coordinates. Inside the city limits, USGS values at 155 sampled points run from 1,426 to 1,802 ft.
What is the highest point in Pierre?
The highest of our 155 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 1,802 ft (549 m), about 2.3 mi from downtown (44.3852, -100.3103). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.
What is the lowest point in Pierre?
The lowest sampled point is 1,426 ft (435 m), about 3.1 mi from downtown. That is 376 ft below the highest sampled point.
At what temperature does water boil in Pierre?
At 1,479 ft, water boils at about 209.3 °F (98.5 °C) and standard air pressure is 28.36 inHg (960 hPa), so each breath holds about 95% 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 Pierre?
Pierre Rgnl (KPIR), 3.4 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 1,744.3 ft (532 m).
Do I need to adjust canning times in Pierre?
Yes. At 1,479 ft downtown, USDA tables call for longer boiling-water processing times and higher weighted-gauge pressure than at sea level. Check your own address, because the city spans 1,426 to 1,802 ft.
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