Wisconsin elevation
Wisconsin runs from 579 ft at Lake Michigan to 1,951 ft at Timms Hill, with an average of about 1,082 ft.
Highest point: Timms Hill
1,951ft
595 m above sea level
Timms Hill, Price County · NGVD 29 (the older U.S. vertical datum)
- Lowest point: Lake Michigan
- 579 ft (177 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)
- 1,082 ft (330 m)
- Mean of 228 USGS points about 25 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
Wisconsin places on this site
Cities and towns (USGS, downtown)
- Madison875 ft
Wisconsin elevation facts
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Highest point: Timms Hill | 1,951 ft (595 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Lowest point: Lake Michigan | 579 ft (177 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Vertical range | 1,372 ft (418 m) | Difference of the two figures above |
| Average elevation (sampled) | 1,082 ft (330 m) | USGS 3DEP, 228 grid points |
| USGS 3DEP value at the high point | 1,952 ft (595 m) | USGS 3DEP, within 250 m of the GNIS summit |
| Capital: Madison | 875 ft (267 m) | USGS 3DEP at the city center |
| Land area | 54,168 sq mi (140,295 km²) | Census 2024 boundary file |
Life at 1,082 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for the state's sampled average elevation (1,082 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.
- 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.
City elevations in Wisconsin
- Madison (capital)875 ft
- Racine626 ft
- Milwaukee615 ft
- Kenosha601 ft
- Green Bay593 ft
Largest places in Wisconsin
The five incorporated places by 2024 Census population estimate.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | 615 ft (187 m) · pop. 563,531 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Madison | 875 ft (267 m) · pop. 285,300 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Green Bay | 593 ft (181 m) · pop. 106,311 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Kenosha | 601 ft (183 m) · pop. 99,578 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Racine | 626 ft (191 m) · pop. 78,057 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest point in Wisconsin?
Timms Hill at 1,951 ft (595 m), from USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001).
What is the lowest point in Wisconsin?
Lake Michigan, at 579 ft, per the USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001).
What is the average elevation of Wisconsin?
About 1,082 ft (330 m): the mean of USGS 3DEP elevations at 228 points on a regular grid about 25 km apart inside the state boundary. It is our estimate, not a published figure.
Which Wisconsin city on this site is highest?
Madison, at 875 ft downtown (USGS).
Does altitude affect cooking in Wisconsin?
At 1,082 ft, water boils at about 210.0 °F (98.9 °C) and standard air pressure is 28.77 inHg (974 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 Wisconsin spans 1,372 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