# What's the elevation change in your city? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 11, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444 "2012-10-11T18:38:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444/1 "2012-10-11T18:38:32Z")
I live near Albuquerque NM USA and according to [http://www.city-data.com/](http://www.city-data.com/) our elevation is 4955 feet. However, the city limits extend into the foothills of the Sandia Mountains so the highest point is over 6000 feet (my limited search didn’t produce a firm number). I’m sure there are cities with more elevation change. I thought about wording this differently and putting it in GQ but I thought it would be more fun this way (and I’m too lazy to keep looking for a firm number for our highest point). So, can anyone beat 1000+ feet? How varied is the terrain where you live? Mods, if this is better suited to a different forum, please move it. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444/2 "2012-10-11T18:40:22Z")
My town? Elevation range is 0-59 ft. Your record is safe from me! ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444/3 "2012-10-11T18:40:49Z")
Washington, DC. Low point: sea level. High point: 410 ft. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444/4 "2012-10-11T18:54:55Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > My town? Elevation range is 0-59 ft. Your record is safe from me! > [@DCnDC](#): > > Washington, DC. > > Low point: sea level. > > High point: 410 ft. Where are you getting the figures for highest elevation? ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@Mister\_Owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Owl)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444/5 "2012-10-11T18:58:44Z")
The city of Los Angeles, California. Portions of it are technically at or below sea level. The highest point in the city is 5,074 ft (1,547 m) Mount Lukens, located at the northeastern end of the San Fernando Valley. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444/6 "2012-10-11T19:03:41Z")
> [@Bumbershoot](#): > > Where are you getting the figures for highest elevation? I googled “washington dc highest elevation” and checked a couple of different sites. They all agreed, so that was the figure I went with. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444/7 "2012-10-11T19:04:48Z")
> [@Mister\_Owl](#): > > The city of Los Angeles, California. Portions of it are technically at or below sea level. The highest point in the city is 5,074 ft (1,547 m) Mount Lukens, located at the northeastern end of the San Fernando Valley. That’s going to be hard to beat. I hope people will keep posting, though! ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444/8 "2012-10-11T19:06:13Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > I googled “washington dc highest elevation” and checked a couple of different sites. They all agreed, so that was the figure I went with. Your google-fu is awesome (at least compared to mine :smack: ) ---
**Author:** ![Politzania](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@Politzania](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Politzania)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444/9 "2012-10-11T19:46:18Z")
“Elevations range from a little over 500 feet (150 m) near the river to more than 720 feet (220 m) in northern parts of the city” - why yes, I live in central Indiana, how could you tell? 😃 In fact, I’m so much of a flatlander that my ears pop when heading down one of the main roads that runs from a bluff overlooking the river down to nearly river-level. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444/10 "2012-10-11T19:56:25Z")
I don’t live in a town, but the elevation of my farm ranges from 577 ft above sea level to 644 feet above sea level. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444/11 "2012-10-11T20:02:09Z")
401 feet. From only a few feet above sea level to the top of a minor mountain (or major hill). ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444/12 "2012-10-11T20:10:57Z")
My city (St. Louis, Missouri) isn’t that impressive, ranging from 385 to 614 feet, according to [the USGS](http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html) which also shows a lot of other cities (I don’t actually live in the city itself but in a suburb on the south side; [this page](http://veloroutes.org/elevation/) says I live at 541 feet when I use my actual address; my neighborhood is pretty hilly though). ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444/13 "2012-10-11T20:21:28Z")
0-330 feet, but I have no idea where that hill is. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444/14 "2012-10-11T20:34:11Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > I googled “washington dc highest elevation” and checked a couple of different sites. They all agreed, so that was the figure I went with. That’s what I did, but for my town. Wikipedia was surprisingly helpful, even for our tiny town. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444/15 "2012-10-11T20:45:11Z")
According to Wikipedia, Albuquerque’s highest point in the foothills is “over 6700 feet” so I’m going with an elevation change of 1800 feet. More than I thought! ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444/16 "2012-10-11T20:51:26Z")
I’m guessing about 100 feet, maybe. I’m talking Portland, ME (though I live across the bridge in South Portland). Highest point in the city is the Munjoy Hill lighthouse, which is right on the east end, maybe a quarter mile from the shore – and the hill ain’t all that steep. Shit, now I’m curious how off I am. To Wikipedia! Edit: of by 38 feet. High point: 62 feet. P.S. Edit: South Portland high point: 23 feet. I’m low. ---
**Author:** ![Stormcrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@Stormcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stormcrow)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444/17 "2012-10-11T20:58:57Z")
Here in Chicago the low point is 577 ft and the high point is 735 ft (an artificial high point, as that is a landfill on the south side). ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444/18 "2012-10-11T21:07:17Z")
Little Rock is 335 ft above sea level > [@](#): > > This elevation map of Arkansas illustrates the number of feet or meters the state rises above sea level. As you can see, about 1/2 of Arkansas is around 500 feet above sea level. The land rises to the west and the north. > > The lowest point in Arkansas is 55 feet above sea level at the Ouachita River on the border of Union and Ashley Counties. > > The highest point in the state is located in the northwest part of the state, to the south of the Arkansas River. Signal Hill, (Mount Magazine) at 2,753 feet above sea level, is located in Logan County about 48 miles southeast of Fort Smith and about 90 miles northwest of Little Rock. > **[Arkansas Base and Elevation Maps](https://www.netstate.com/states/geography/mapcom/ar_mapscom.htm)** > > The Arkansas base map shows the capital and major Arkansas cities as well as Arkansas's > border states. The Arkansas elevation map illustrates the elevation above sea level across the state and labels major > bodies of water. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444/19 "2012-10-11T21:08:32Z")
Mo’ili’ili in Paradise, average 9’ above sea level. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444/20 "2012-10-11T21:37:18Z")
In Manhattan, we go from sea level to 265 feet. It’s easy to forget about the high points if you’re a typical Manhattanite and rarely go above Central Park; the rest of the island has been thoroughly evened out. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-elevation-change-in-your-city/637444.md?page=2)