West Virginia elevation
West Virginia runs from 240 ft at Potomac River to 4,863 ft at Spruce Knob, with an average of about 1,662 ft.
Highest point: Spruce Knob
4,863ft
1,482 m above sea level
Spruce Knob, Pendleton County · NGVD 29 (the older U.S. vertical datum)
- Lowest point: Potomac River
- 240 ft (73 m)
- NGVD 29 (the older U.S. vertical datum)
- Source: USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001)
- Average elevation (sampled)
- 1,662 ft (506 m)
- Mean of 219 USGS points about 17 km apart; an estimate, not a published figure.
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
Data updated · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made
West Virginia elevation facts
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Highest point: Spruce Knob | 4,863 ft (1,482 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Lowest point: Potomac River | 240 ft (73 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Vertical range | 4,623 ft (1,409 m) | Difference of the two figures above |
| Average elevation (sampled) | 1,662 ft (506 m) | USGS 3DEP, 219 grid points |
| USGS 3DEP value at the high point | 4,863 ft (1,482 m) | USGS 3DEP, within 250 m of the GNIS summit |
| Capital: Charleston | 596 ft (182 m) | USGS 3DEP at the city center |
| Land area | 24,041 sq mi (62,267 km²) | Census 2024 boundary file |
Life at 1,662 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for the state's sampled average elevation (1,662 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 94 % 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 West Virginia
- Morgantown888 ft
- Wheeling663 ft
- Parkersburg614 ft
- Charleston (capital)596 ft
- Huntington566 ft
Largest places in West Virginia
The five incorporated places by 2024 Census population estimate.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston | 596 ft (182 m) · pop. 46,482 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Huntington | 566 ft (172 m) · pop. 44,942 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Morgantown | 888 ft (271 m) · pop. 30,490 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Parkersburg | 614 ft (187 m) · pop. 28,834 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Wheeling | 663 ft (202 m) · pop. 26,060 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest point in West Virginia?
Spruce Knob at 4,863 ft (1,482 m), from USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001).
What is the lowest point in West Virginia?
Potomac River, at 240 ft, per the USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001).
What is the average elevation of West Virginia?
About 1,662 ft (506 m): the mean of USGS 3DEP elevations at 219 points on a regular grid about 17 km apart inside the state boundary. It is our estimate, not a published figure.
Does altitude affect cooking in West Virginia?
At 1,662 ft, water boils at about 209.0 °F (98.3 °C) and standard air pressure is 28.17 inHg (954 hPa), so each breath holds about 94% of the oxygen it would at sea level. That is for the state's average elevation; check your own town, because West Virginia spans 4,623 ft from lowest to highest.
Sources
- USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) — 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