Virginia elevation
Virginia runs from sea level (Atlantic Ocean) to 5,711 ft at Mount Rogers, with an average of about 1,036 ft.
Highest point: Mount Rogers
5,711ft
1,741 m above sea level
NGS survey mark ROGERS RESET (PID FZ2155), Grayson-Smyth County · NAVD 88 (current U.S. vertical datum)
Source: NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet FZ2155 (mark last recovered 2014-07-05)
- Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean
- 0 ft (sea level)
- Source: USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001)
- Average elevation (sampled)
- 1,036 ft (316 m)
- Mean of 228 USGS points about 22 km apart; an estimate, not a published figure.
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- USGS table figure for the high point
- 5,729 ft
- Older survey on the NGVD 29 datum.
- Source: USGS Elevations and Distances (revised 2001)
Data updated · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made
Virginia places on this site
Cities and towns (USGS, downtown)
- Richmond213 ft
Mountains and peaks
- Mount Rogers5,711 ft
Virginia elevation facts
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Highest point: Mount Rogers | 5,711 ft (1,741 m) | NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet FZ2155 (mark last recovered 2014-07-05) |
| Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean | Sea level | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Vertical range | 5,711 ft (1,741 m) | Difference of the two figures above |
| Average elevation (sampled) | 1,036 ft (316 m) | USGS 3DEP, 228 grid points |
| USGS 3DEP value at the high point | 5,708 ft (1,740 m) | USGS 3DEP, within 250 m of the GNIS summit |
| Capital: Richmond | 213 ft (65 m) | USGS 3DEP at the city center |
| Land area | 39,481 sq mi (102,256 km²) | Census 2024 boundary file |
Life at 1,036 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for the state's sampled average elevation (1,036 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.
- Oxygen calculator
- Home canning
- Above 1,000 ft, USDA processing times and pressure-canner pounds go up.
- 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.
City elevations in Virginia
- Richmond (capital)213 ft
- Newport News18 ft
- Chesapeake12 ft
- Virginia Beach10 ft
- Norfolk7 ft
Largest places in Virginia
The five incorporated places by 2024 Census population estimate.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | 10 ft (3 m) · pop. 454,808 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Chesapeake | 12 ft (4 m) · pop. 254,997 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Richmond | 213 ft (65 m) · pop. 233,655 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Norfolk | 7 ft (2 m) · pop. 231,105 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Newport News | 18 ft (6 m) · pop. 183,056 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest point in Virginia?
Mount Rogers at 5,711 ft (1,741 m), from NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet FZ2155 (mark last recovered 2014-07-05). The USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001) lists 5,729 ft, an older survey on the NGVD 29 datum.
What is the lowest point in Virginia?
Atlantic Ocean, at sea level, per the USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001).
What is the average elevation of Virginia?
About 1,036 ft (316 m): the mean of USGS 3DEP elevations at 228 points on a regular grid about 22 km apart inside the state boundary. It is our estimate, not a published figure.
Which Virginia city on this site is highest?
Richmond, at 213 ft downtown (USGS).
Does altitude affect cooking in Virginia?
At 1,036 ft, water boils at about 210.1 °F (99.0 °C) and standard air pressure is 28.82 inHg (976 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 Virginia spans 5,711 ft from lowest to highest.
Sources
- NOAA National Geodetic Survey datasheet FZ2155 (mark last recovered 2014-07-05) — 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