Richmond, VA elevation
Downtown Richmond sits at 213 ft (65 m) above sea level. Across the city limits the ground varies by about 556 ft.
USGS elevation downtown
213ft
65 m above sea level
Ground elevation at 37.55376, -77.46026 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).
Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service
- Range inside city limits (sampled)
- -226 to 330 ft
- -69 to 101 m · 162 USGS points
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- Average of sampled points
- 158 ft (48 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 Richmond
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
Richmond covers 59.9 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 162 sampled points run from -226 ft (-69 m) to 330 ft (101 m), a spread of 556 ft. The average of those points is 158 ft, lower than downtown.
Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 162 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 1,001 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.
Life at 213 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown Richmond (213 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.
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.
Richmond compared with nearby and similar-size cities
- Salt Lake City, UT4,264 ft
- Boise, ID2,700 ft
- Scottsdale, AZ1,259 ft
- Ashland, VA218 ft
- Richmond (downtown)213 ft
- Colonial Heights, VA94 ft
- Petersburg, VA67 ft
- Hopewell, VA52 ft
- Baton Rouge, LA46 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Richmond | 213 ft (65 m) | USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates |
| Highest sampled point | 330 ft (101 m) · 6.2 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Lowest sampled point | -226 ft (-69 m) · 5.0 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Nearest public airport: Richmond Intl (KRIC) | 168 ft (51 m) · 8.4 mi away | FAA field elevation |
Richmond at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 233,655 (July 1, 2024) | U.S. Census Bureau estimate |
| Land area | 59.9 sq mi (155.2 km²) | Census 2024 Gazetteer |
| County | Richmond (city) | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | Richmond | USGS GNIS |
| Downtown coordinates | 37.55376, -77.46026 | USGS GNIS |
More places and tools
Nearest city pages
- Annapolis, MD — 44 ft, 112 mi (180 km) away
- Raleigh, NC — 315 ft, 139 mi (224 km) away
- Dover, DE — 29 ft, 153 mi (246 km) away
- Winston-Salem, NC — 911 ft, 184 mi (296 km) away
- Harrisburg, PA — 334 ft, 190 mi (307 km) away
- All Virginia elevations
Tools pre-filled for 213 ft
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation of Richmond, VA?
Downtown Richmond is 213 ft (65 m) above sea level, from the USGS 3D Elevation Program at the city-center coordinates. Inside the city limits, USGS values at 162 sampled points run from -226 to 330 ft.
What is the highest point in Richmond?
The highest of our 162 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 330 ft (101 m), about 6.2 mi from downtown (37.5410, -77.5728). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.
What is the lowest point in Richmond?
The lowest sampled point is -226 ft (-69 m), about 5.0 mi from downtown. That is 556 ft below the highest sampled point.
At what temperature does water boil in Richmond?
At 213 ft, water boils at about 211.6 °F (99.8 °C) and standard air pressure is 29.69 inHg (1,005 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 Richmond?
Richmond Intl (KRIC), 8.4 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 167.5 ft (51 m).
Do I need to adjust canning times in Richmond?
Downtown Richmond is at 213 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