List of U.S. states by elevation

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A topographical map of the contiguous United States with hypsometric tints

The elevation of U.S. states may be described in several ways:^[1] by the elevation of their highest point, the elevation of their lowest points, their mean elevation, and the difference between their highest points and lowest points. These different measures yield different answers to the question, "which is the highest/most rugged/lowest/flattest state?"

Alaska could be regarded as the highest state because Mount McKinley, at 20,320 ft (6,194 m), is the highest point in the United States.^[2] However, Colorado, with the highest average altitude of any state, could also be considered a candidate for "highest state."

There is no clearcut lowest/flattest state: Florida has the lowest high point and the least difference between highest and lowest point; Delaware has the lowest mean elevation; and California has the lowest point in the United States (Badwater, at 282 ft (86 m) below sea level.)^[3]

In the list below, the elevations listed are in the NGVD29 vertical datum, unless otherwise noted.

State	Highest point^[1]^[2]^[4]	Highest elevation^[1]^[2]^[4]	Lowest point^[1]	Lowest elevation^[1]	Mean elevation^[1]	Elevation difference
Alabama	Cheaha Mountain	02413 2,413 feet (735 m)^[5]	Gulf of Mexico	01000 0 feet (0 m)	00500 500 feet (152 m)	02413 2,413 feet (735 m)
Alaska	Mount McKinley	20320 20,320 feet (6,194 m)	Pacific Ocean	01000 0 feet (0 m)	01900 1,900 feet (579 m)	20320 20,320 feet (6,194 m)
Arizona	Humphreys Peak	12637 12,637 feet (3,852 m)^[6]	Colorado River	01070 70 feet (21 m)	04100 4,100 feet (1,250 m)	12563 12,567 feet (3,830 m)
Arkansas	Mount Magazine	02753 2,753 feet (839 m)	Ouachita River	01055 55 feet (17 m)	00650 650 feet (198 m)	02698 2,698 feet (822 m)
California	Mount Whitney	14505 14,505 feet (4,421 m)^[7]	Death Valley	00718 -282 feet (−86 m)	02900 2,900 feet (884 m)	14776 14,776 feet (4,504 m)
Colorado	Mount Elbert	14440 14,440 feet (4,401 m)^[8]	Arikaree River^[9]	04315 3,315 feet (1,010 m)	06800 6,800 feet (2,073 m)	11125 11,125 feet (3,391 m)
Connecticut	Mount Frissell	02380 2,380 feet (725 m)	Long Island Sound	01000 0 feet (0 m)	00500 500 feet (152 m)	02380 2,380 feet (725 m)
Delaware	Ebright Azimuth	00448 448 feet (137 m)	Atlantic Ocean	01000 0 feet (0 m)	00060 60 feet (18 m)	00448 448 feet (137 m)
District of Columbia	Fort Reno	00410 410 feet (125 m)	Potomac River	01001 1 foot (0 m)	00150 150 feet (46 m)	00409 409 feet (125 m)
Florida	Britton Hill	00345 345 feet (105 m)	Atlantic Ocean	01000 0 feet (0 m)	00100 100 feet (30 m)	00345 345 feet (105 m)
Georgia	Brasstown Bald	04784 4,784 feet (1,458 m)	Atlantic Ocean	01000 0 feet (0 m)	00600 600 feet (183 m)	04784 4,784 feet (1,458 m)
Hawaii	Mauna Kea	13796 13,796 feet (4,205 m)	Pacific Ocean	01000 0 feet (0 m)	03030 3,030 feet (924 m)	13796 13,796 feet (4,205 m)
Idaho	Borah Peak	12662 12,662 feet (3,859 m)	Snake River	01710 710 feet (216 m)	05000 5,000 feet (1,524 m)	11952 11,952 feet (3,643 m)
Illinois	Charles Mound	01235 1,235 feet (376 m)	Mississippi River	01279 279 feet (85 m)	00600 600 feet (183 m)	00956 956 feet (291 m)
Indiana	Hoosier Hill	01257 1,257 feet (383 m)	Ohio River	01320 320 feet (98 m)	00700 700 feet (213 m)	00937 937 feet (286 m)
Iowa	Hawkeye Point	01670 1,670 feet (509 m)	Mississippi River	01480 480 feet (146 m)	01100 1,100 feet (335 m)	01190 1,190 feet (363 m)
Kansas	Mount Sunflower	04039 4,039 feet (1,231 m)	Verdigris River	01679 679 feet (207 m)	02000 2,000 feet (610 m)	03360 3,360 feet (1,024 m)
Kentucky	Black Mountain	04145 4,145 feet (1,263 m)	Mississippi River	01257 257 feet (78 m)	00750 750 feet (229 m)	03888 3,888 feet (1,185 m)
Louisiana	Driskill Mountain	00535 535 feet (163 m)	New Orleans	00992 -8 feet (−2 m)	00100 100 feet (30 m)	00543 543 feet (166 m)
Maine	Mount Katahdin	05267 5,267 feet (1,605 m)	Atlantic Ocean	01000 0 feet (0 m)	00600 600 feet (183 m)	05267 5,267 feet (1,605 m)
Maryland	Hoye-Crest	03360 3,360 feet (1,024 m)	Atlantic Ocean	01000 0 feet (0 m)	00350 350 feet (107 m)	03360 3,360 feet (1,024 m)
Massachusetts	Mount Greylock	03487 3,487 feet (1,063 m)	Atlantic Ocean	01000 0 feet (0 m)	00500 500 feet (152 m)	03487 3,487 feet (1,063 m)
Michigan	Mount Arvon	01979 1,979 feet (603 m)	Lake Erie	01571 571 feet (174 m)	00900 900 feet (274 m)	01408 1,408 feet (429 m)
Minnesota	Eagle Mountain	02301 2,301 feet (701 m)	Lake Superior	01601 601 feet (183 m)	01200 1,200 feet (366 m)	01700 1,700 feet (518 m)
Mississippi	Woodall Mountain	00806 806 feet (246 m)	Gulf of Mexico	01000 0 feet (0 m)	00300 300 feet (91 m)	00806 806 feet (246 m)
Missouri	Taum Sauk Mountain	01772 1,772 feet (540 m)	Saint Francis River	01230 230 feet (70 m)	00800 800 feet (244 m)	01542 1,542 feet (470 m)
Montana	Granite Peak	12799 12,799 feet (3,901 m)	Kootenai River	02800 1,800 feet (549 m)	03400 3,400 feet (1,036 m)	10999 10,999 feet (3,352 m)
Nebraska	Panorama Point	05424 5,424 feet (1,653 m)	Missouri River	01840 840 feet (256 m)	02600 2,600 feet (792 m)	04584 4,584 feet (1,397 m)
Nevada	Boundary Peak	13140 13,140 feet (4,005 m)	Colorado River	01479 479 feet (146 m)	05500 5,500 feet (1,676 m)	12661 12,661 feet (3,859 m)
New Hampshire	Mount Washington	06288 6,288 feet (1,917 m)	Atlantic Ocean	01000 0 feet (0 m)	01000 1,000 feet (305 m)	06288 6,288 feet (1,917 m)
New Jersey	High Point	01803 1,803 feet (550 m)	Atlantic Ocean	01000 0 feet (0 m)	00250 250 feet (76 m)	01803 1,803 feet (550 m)
New Mexico	Wheeler Peak	13,161 feet (4,011 m)	Red Bluff Reservoir	03842 2,842 feet (866 m)	05700 5,700 feet (1,737 m)	10319 10,319 feet (3,145 m)
New York	Mount Marcy	05344 5,344 feet (1,629 m)	Atlantic Ocean	01000 0 feet (0 m)	01000 1,000 feet (305 m)	05344 5,344 feet (1,629 m)
North Carolina	Mount Mitchell	06684 6,684 feet (2,037 m)	Atlantic Ocean	01000 0 feet (0 m)	00700 700 feet (213 m)	06684 6,684 feet (2,037 m)
North Dakota	White Butte	03506 3,506 feet (1,069 m)	Red River	01750 750 feet (229 m)	01900 1,900 feet (579 m)	02756 2,756 feet (840 m)
Ohio	Campbell Hill	01549 1,549 feet (472 m)	Ohio River	01455 455 feet (139 m)	00850 850 feet (259 m)	01094 1,094 feet (333 m)
Oklahoma	Black Mesa	04973 4,973 feet (1,516 m)	Little River	01289 289 feet (88 m)	01300 1,300 feet (396 m)	04684 4,684 feet (1,428 m)
Oregon	Mount Hood	11249 11,249 feet (3,429 m)	Pacific Ocean	01000 0 feet (0 m)	03300 3,300 feet (1,006 m)	11249 11,249 feet (3,429 m)
Pennsylvania	Mount Davis	03213 3,213 feet (979 m)	Delaware River	01000 0 feet (0 m)	01100 1,100 feet (335 m)	03213 3,213 feet (979 m)
Rhode Island	Jerimoth Hill	00812 812 feet (247 m)	Atlantic Ocean	01000 0 feet (0 m)	00350 350 feet (107 m)	00812 812 feet (247 m)
South Carolina	Sassafras Mountain	03560 3,560 feet (1,085 m)	Atlantic Ocean	01000 0 feet (0 m)	00350 350 feet (107 m)	03560 3,560 feet (1,085 m)
South Dakota	Harney Peak	07242 7,242 feet (2,207 m)	Big Stone Lake	01966 966 feet (294 m)	02200 2,200 feet (671 m)	06276 6,276 feet (1,913 m)
Tennessee	Clingmans Dome	06643 6,643 feet (2,025 m)	Mississippi River	01178 178 feet (54 m)	00900 900 feet (274 m)	06465 6,465 feet (1,971 m)
Texas	Guadalupe Peak	08749 8,749 feet (2,667 m)	Gulf of Mexico	01000 0 feet (0 m)	01700 1,700 feet (518 m)	08749 8,749 feet (2,667 m)
Utah	Kings Peak	13528 13,528 feet (4,123 m)	Beaver Dam Wash	03000 2,000 feet (610 m)	06100 6,100 feet (1,859 m)	11528 11,528 feet (3,514 m)
Vermont	Mount Mansfield	04393 4,393 feet (1,339 m)	Lake Champlain	01095 95 feet (29 m)	01000 1,000 feet (305 m)	04298 4,298 feet (1,310 m)
Virginia	Mount Rogers	05729 5,729 feet (1,746 m)	Atlantic Ocean	01000 0 feet (0 m)	00950 950 feet (290 m)	05729 5,729 feet (1,746 m)
Washington	Mount Rainier	14410 14,410 feet (4,392 m)	Pacific Ocean	01000 0 feet (0 m)	01700 1,700 feet (518 m)	14410 14,410 feet (4,392 m)
West Virginia	Spruce Knob	04861 4,861 feet (1,482 m)	Potomac River	01240 240 feet (73 m)	01500 1,500 feet (457 m)	04621 4,621 feet (1,408 m)
Wisconsin	Timms Hill	01951 1,951 feet (595 m)	Lake Michigan	01579 579 feet (176 m)	01050 1,050 feet (320 m)	01372 1,372 feet (418 m)
Wyoming	Gannett Peak	13804 13,804 feet (4,207 m)	Belle Fourche River	04099 3,099 feet (945 m)	06700 6,700 feet (2,042 m)	10705 10,705 feet (3,263 m)

Map of high points as red circles, low points as green squares. Low points on coastlines are not shown.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Extreme and Mean Elevations by State and Other Areas". United States Census (2004). Retrieved on 2008-11-27.
^ ^a ^b ^c "U.S. State Highpoints". summitpost.org. Retrieved on 2008-11-28.
^ "Badwater". United States Geological Survey (2004-01-13). Retrieved on 27 November 2008.
^ ^a ^b "U.S. State High Points". peakbagger.com. Retrieved on 2008-11-28.
^ "NGS Data Sheet for Cheaha Mountain". U.S. National Geodetic Survey. Retrieved on 2008-10-12. "elevation in NAVD88 datum"
^ "Frisco". NGS Data Sheet. U.S. National Geodetic Survey. Retrieved on 2008-11-13.
^ "Whitney". NGS Data Sheet. U.S. National Geodetic Survey. Retrieved on 2008-04-09.
^ Lipsher, Steve (July 7, 2002). "No tall tale: State higher than thought", Denver Post. Retrieved on 19 April 2007.
^ "Arikaree River - lowest point in Colorado". Retrieved on 2008-11-28.

[edit] External links

^ National Geodetic Survey web site

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