List of U.S. states and territories by elevation facts for kids

State and territory high points are shown as red circles. Low points are shown with green squares, except in states / territories whose lowest elevation spans coastlines or lake shores (the Great Lakes or Lake Champlain). California and Louisiana have coastlines, but also have low points below sea level. The 5 major U.S. territories and the District of Columbia are in insets. The U.S. Minor Outlying Islands are not on the map.

The elevation of the U.S. states, the federal district, and the territories may be described in several ways. These include:

• the elevation of their highest point;
• the elevation of their lowest point; and
• the difference between (range of) their highest points and lowest points.

The following list is a comparison of elevation absolutes in the United States. Data include interval measures of highest and lowest elevation for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and territories.

Which state or territory is "highest" and "lowest" is determined by the definition of "high" and "low". For instance, Alaska could be regarded as the highest state because Denali, at 20,310 feet (6,190.5 m), is the highest point in the United States. However, Colorado, with the highest mean elevation of any state as well as the highest low point, could also be considered a candidate for "highest state". Determining which state is "lowest" is equally problematic. California contains the Badwater Basin in Death Valley, at 279 feet (85 m) below sea level, the lowest point in the United States; while Florida has the lowest high point, and Delaware has the lowest mean elevation. Florida is also the flattest state, with the smallest difference between its highest and lowest points.

The list of highest points in each state is important to the sport of highpointing, where enthusiasts attempt to visit the highest point in each of the contiguous 48 states, or in all 50 states, or in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and the territories. As of 2006, 155 people had reached the fifty state highpoints. Roughly 200–300 people attend the Highpointers Club convention each year.

All elevations in the table below have been adjusted to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988. The mean elevation for each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico is accurate to the nearest 100 ft (30 m). Mean elevation data is unavailable for the other U.S. territories.

Elevation table

Elevations of the 50 states, the federal district, and the territories

State federal district or territory	Highest point	Highest elevation	Rank (High point)	Lowest point	Lowest elevation	Mean elevation	Elevation span
Alabama	Cheaha Mountain	&100000000000007355000002,413 ft 736 m	38	Gulf of Mexico	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&10000000000000152000000500 ft 150 m	&100000000000007355000002,413 ft 736 m
Alaska	Denali	&1000000000000619050000020,310 ft 6190.5 m	1	Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, and Arctic Ocean	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&100000000000005790000001,900 ft 580 m	&1000000000000619050000020,310 ft 6190.5 m
American Samoa	Lata Mountain on Ta‘ū island	&100000000000009662000003,170 ft 966 m	35	Pacific Ocean	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&10000000000000000000000NA	&100000000000009662000003,170 ft 966 m
Arizona	Humphreys Peak	&1000000000000385189100012,637 ft 3852 m	12	Colorado River at Sonora border, San Luis, Arizona	&1000000000000002200000072 ft 22 m	&100000000000012500000004,100 ft 1250 m	&1000000000000382989100012,565 ft 3830 m
Arkansas	Mount Magazine	&100000000000008390000002,753 ft 839 m	37	Ouachita River at Louisiana border	&1000000000000001669999955 ft 17 m	&10000000000000198000000650 ft 200 m	&100000000000008222999992,698 ft 822 m
California	Mount Whitney	&1000000000000442100000014,505 ft 4421.0 m	2	Badwater Basin in Death Valley	Template:Number table sorting/negative−279 ft −85 m	&100000000000008840000002,900 ft 880 m	&1000000000000450600000014,783 ft 4506 m
Colorado	Mount Elbert	&1000000000000440119999914,440 ft 4401.2 m	3	Arikaree River at Kansas border	&100000000000010108999993,317 ft 1011 m	&100000000000020730000006,800 ft 2070 m	&1000000000000339030000011,123 ft 3390 m
Connecticut	Massachusetts border on the southern slope of Mount Frissell	&100000000000007252000002,379 ft 725 m	39	Long Island Sound	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&10000000000000152000000500 ft 150 m	&100000000000007252000002,379 ft 725 m
Delaware	Near the Ebright Azimuth	&10000000000000136199999447 ft 136 m	54	Atlantic Ocean	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&1000000000000001800000060 ft 20 m	&10000000000000136199999447 ft 136 m
District of Columbia	Fort Reno	&10000000000000124700000409 ft 125 m	55	Potomac River at eastern Maryland border	&100000000000000003000001.0 ft 0.3 m	&10000000000000046000000150 ft 50 m	&10000000000000124400000408 ft 124 m
Florida	Britton Hill	&10000000000000105099999345 ft 105 m	56	Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&10000000000000030000000100 ft 30 m	&10000000000000105099999345 ft 105 m
Georgia	Brasstown Bald	&100000000000014582000004,784 ft 1458 m	25	Atlantic Ocean	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&10000000000000183000000600 ft 180 m	&100000000000014582000004,784 ft 1458 m
Guam	Mount Lamlam	&100000000000004060000001,332 ft 406 m	48	Pacific Ocean	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&10000000000000000000000NA	&100000000000004060000001,332 ft 406 m
Hawaii	Mauna Kea on the Island of Hawai'i	&1000000000000420730000013,803 ft 4207 m	6	Pacific Ocean	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&100000000000009240000003,030 ft 920 m	&1000000000000420730000013,803 ft 4207 m
Idaho	Borah Peak	&1000000000000386106700012,668 ft 3861 m	11	Confluence of Snake River and Clearwater River	&10000000000000217400000713 ft 217 m	&100000000000015240000005,000 ft 1520 m	&1000000000000364366699911,954 ft 3644 m
Illinois	Charles Mound	&100000000000003763999991,235 ft 376 m	50	Confluence of Mississippi River and Ohio River	&10000000000000085200000280 ft 85 m	&10000000000000183000000600 ft 180 m	&10000000000000291199999955 ft 291 m
Indiana	Hoosier Hill	&100000000000003830000001,257 ft 383 m	49	Confluence of Wabash River and Ohio River	&10000000000000097400000320 ft 97 m	&10000000000000213000000700 ft 210 m	&10000000000000285600000937 ft 286 m
Iowa	Hawkeye Point	&100000000000005091999991,671 ft 509 m	45	Confluence of Mississippi River and Des Moines River	&10000000000000146300000480 ft 146 m	&100000000000003353000001,100 ft 340 m	&100000000000003628999991,191 ft 363 m
Kansas	Mount Sunflower	&100000000000012315999994,041 ft 1232 m	29	Verdigris River at Oklahoma border	&10000000000000207099999679 ft 207 m	&100000000000006100000002,000 ft 610 m	&100000000000010245000003,361 ft 1025 m
Kentucky	Black Mountain	&100000000000012632999994,145 ft 1263 m	28	Mississippi River at Kentucky Bend	&10000000000000078400000257 ft 78 m	&10000000000000229000000750 ft 230 m	&100000000000011849000003,887 ft 1185 m
Louisiana	Driskill Mountain	&10000000000000163002000535 ft 163 m	53	New Orleans	Template:Number table sorting/negative−8 ft −2.4 m	&10000000000000030000000100 ft 30 m	&10000000000000165401999543 ft 165 m
Maine	Mount Katahdin	&100000000000016064000005,270 ft 1606.4 m	22	Atlantic Ocean	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&10000000000000183000000600 ft 180 m	&100000000000016064000005,270 ft 1606.4 m
Maryland	Hoye-Crest	&100000000000010240000003,360 ft 1024 m	33	Atlantic Ocean	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&10000000000000107000000350 ft 110 m	&100000000000010240000003,360 ft 1024 m
Massachusetts	Mount Greylock	&100000000000010634000003,489 ft 1063 m	32	Atlantic Ocean	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&10000000000000152000000500 ft 150 m	&100000000000010634000003,489 ft 1063 m
Michigan	Mount Arvon	&100000000000006032000001,979 ft 603 m	41	Lake Erie	&10000000000000174000000571 ft 174 m	&10000000000000274000000900 ft 270 m	&100000000000004291999991,408 ft 429 m
Minnesota	Eagle Mountain	&100000000000007014998002,302 ft 701 m	40	Lake Superior	&10000000000000183199999601 ft 183 m	&100000000000003660000001,200 ft 370 m	&100000000000005182999991,700 ft 518 m
Mississippi	Woodall Mountain	&10000000000000246000000807 ft 246 m	52	Gulf of Mexico	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&10000000000000091000000300 ft 90 m	&10000000000000246000000807 ft 246 m
Missouri	Taum Sauk Mountain	&100000000000005401000001,772 ft 540 m	44	Saint Francis River at southern Arkansas border	&10000000000000070099999230 ft 70 m	&10000000000000244000000800 ft 240 m	&100000000000004700000001,542 ft 470 m
Montana	Granite Peak	&1000000000000390350000012,807 ft 3903.5 m	10	Kootenai River at Idaho border	&100000000000005497999991,804 ft 550 m	&100000000000010360000003,400 ft 1040 m	&1000000000000335369999911,003 ft 3354 m
Nebraska	Panorama Point	&100000000000016540999995,427 ft 1654 m	20	Missouri River at Kansas border	&10000000000000256100000840 ft 256 m	&100000000000007920000002,600 ft 790 m	&100000000000013980000004,587 ft 1398 m
Nevada	Boundary Peak	&1000000000000400709999913,147 ft 4007 m	9	Colorado River at California border	&10000000000000146699999481 ft 147 m	&100000000000016760000005,500 ft 1680 m	&1000000000000386040000012,665 ft 3860 m
New Hampshire	Mount Washington	&100000000000019166059996,288 ft 1917 m	18	Atlantic Ocean	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&100000000000003048000001,000 ft 300 m	&100000000000019166059996,288 ft 1917 m
New Jersey	High Point	&100000000000005497000001,803 ft 550 m	43	Atlantic Ocean	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&10000000000000076000000250 ft 80 m	&100000000000005497000001,803 ft 550 m
New Mexico	Wheeler Peak	&1000000000000401330000013,167 ft 4013.3 m	8	Red Bluff Reservoir on Texas border	&100000000000008667000002,844 ft 867 m	&100000000000017370000005,700 ft 1740 m	&1000000000000314659999910,323 ft 3147 m
New York	Mount Marcy	&100000000000016285699995,343 ft 1628.57 m	21	Atlantic Ocean	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&100000000000003048000001,000 ft 300 m	&100000000000016285699995,343 ft 1628.57 m
North Carolina	Mount Mitchell	&100000000000020373119996,684 ft 2037 m	16	Atlantic Ocean	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&10000000000000213000000700 ft 210 m	&100000000000020373119996,684 ft 2037 m
North Dakota	White Butte	&100000000000010692000003,508 ft 1069 m	31	Red River of the North at Manitoba border	&10000000000000229000000751 ft 229 m	&100000000000005790000001,900 ft 580 m	&100000000000008402000002,757 ft 840 m
Northern Mariana Islands	Unnamed point on Agrihan island	&100000000000009650000003,166 ft 965 m	36	Pacific Ocean	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&10000000000000000000000NA	&100000000000009650000003,166 ft 965 m
Ohio	Campbell Hill	&100000000000004722500001,549 ft 472 m	47	Ohio River at Indiana border	&10000000000000138800000455 ft 139 m	&10000000000000259000000850 ft 260 m	&100000000000003334499991,094 ft 333 m
Oklahoma	Black Mesa	&100000000000015164800004,975 ft 1516 m	23	Little River at Arkansas border	&10000000000000088099999289 ft 88 m	&100000000000003960000001,300 ft 400 m	&100000000000014283800004,686 ft 1428 m
Oregon	Mount Hood	&1000000000000342880000011,249 ft 3428.8 m	13	Pacific Ocean	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&100000000000010060000003,300 ft 1010 m	&1000000000000342880000011,249 ft 3428.8 m
Pennsylvania	Mount Davis	&100000000000009792000003,213 ft 979 m	34	Delaware River at Delaware border	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&100000000000003353000001,100 ft 340 m	&100000000000009792000003,213 ft 979 m
Puerto Rico	Cerro de Punta	&100000000000013380000004,390 ft 1338 m	27	Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean sea)	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&10000000000000261000000856 ft 261 m	&100000000000013380000004,390 ft 1338 m
Rhode Island	Jerimoth Hill	&10000000000000247300000811 ft 247 m	51	Atlantic Ocean	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&10000000000000061000000200 ft 60 m	&10000000000000247300000811 ft 247 m
South Carolina	Sassafras Mountain	&100000000000010850999993,560 ft 1085 m	30	Atlantic Ocean	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&10000000000000107000000350 ft 110 m	&100000000000010850999993,560 ft 1085 m
South Dakota	Black Elk Peak	&100000000000022080000007,244 ft 2208 m	15	Big Stone Lake on Minnesota border	&10000000000000295000000968 ft 295 m	&100000000000006710000002,200 ft 670 m	&100000000000019130000006,276 ft 1913 m
Tennessee	Clingmans Dome	&100000000000020249000006,643 ft 2025 m	17	Mississippi River at Mississippi border	&10000000000000054200000178 ft 54 m	&10000000000000274000000900 ft 270 m	&100000000000019707000006,466 ft 1971 m
Texas	Guadalupe Peak	&100000000000026673820008,751 ft 2667 m	14	Gulf of Mexico	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&100000000000005180000001,700 ft 520 m	&100000000000026673820008,751 ft 2667 m
United States Minor Outlying Islands	Unnamed point on Navassa Island	&10000000000000085000000279 ft 85 m	57	Pacific Ocean (8 islands) and Caribbean Sea (Navassa Island)	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&10000000000000000000000NA	&10000000000000085000000279 ft 85 m
Utah	Kings Peak	&1000000000000412514999913,534 ft 4125 m	7	Beaver Dam Wash at Arizona border	&100000000000006643999992,180 ft 664 m	&100000000000018590000006,100 ft 1860 m	&1000000000000346075000011,354 ft 3461 m
Vermont	Mount Mansfield	&100000000000013396900004,395 ft 1340 m	26	Lake Champlain	&1000000000000002900000095 ft 29 m	&100000000000003048000001,000 ft 300 m	&100000000000013106900004,300 ft 1311 m
Virgin Islands (U.S.)	Crown Mountain on the island of Saint Thomas	&100000000000004740000001,555 ft 474 m	46	Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean Sea)	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&10000000000000000000000NA	&100000000000004740000001,555 ft 474 m
Virginia	Mount Rogers	&100000000000017462000005,729 ft 1746 m	19	Atlantic Ocean	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&10000000000000290000000950 ft 290 m	&100000000000017462000005,729 ft 1746 m
Washington	Mount Rainier	&1000000000000439439599914,417 ft 4394 m	4	Pacific Ocean	&10000000000000000000000sea level	&100000000000005180000001,700 ft 520 m	&1000000000000439439599914,417 ft 4394 m
West Virginia	Spruce Knob	&100000000000014820999994,863 ft 1482.1 m	24	Potomac River at Virginia border	&10000000000000073000000240 ft 73 m	&100000000000004570000001,500 ft 460 m	&100000000000014090999994,623 ft 1409 m
Wisconsin	Timms Hill	&100000000000005947000001,951 ft 595 m	42	Lake Michigan	&10000000000000176479999579 ft 176 m	&100000000000003200000001,050 ft 320 m	&100000000000004182200001,372 ft 418 m
Wyoming	Gannett Peak	&1000000000000420910000013,809 ft 4209.1 m	5	Belle Fourche River at South Dakota border	&100000000000009451000003,101 ft 945 m	&100000000000020420000006,700 ft 2040 m	&1000000000000326400000010,709 ft 3264 m
United States	Denali, Alaska	&1000000000000619050000020,310 ft 6190.5 m		Badwater Basin, California	Template:Number table sorting/negative−279 ft −85 m	&100000000000007620000002,500 ft 760 m	&1000000000000627550000020,589 ft 6275.5 m

Gallery

• 

  Denali is the highest summit of the State of Alaska, the United States, and all of North America.

• 

  Mount Whitney is the highest summit of the Sierra Nevada, the State of California, and the "Lower 48" contiguous United States.

• 

  Mount Elbert is the highest summit of the Rocky Mountains and the State of Colorado.

• 

  Mount Rainier is the highest summit of the Cascade Range and the State of Washington

• 

  Mount Hood is the highest summit of the State of Oregon

• 

  Gannett Peak is the highest summit of the Wind River Range and the State of Wyoming.

• 

  Mauna Kea is the highest summit of the State of Hawaiʻi and the entire Pacific Ocean.

• 

  Kings Peak is the highest summit of the Uinta Range and the State of Utah.

• 

  Wheeler Peak in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains is the highest summit of the State of New Mexico.

• 

  Granite Peak is the highest summit of the Beartooth Range and the State of Montana.

• 

  Borah Peak is the highest summit of the Lost River Range and the State of Idaho.

• 

  Black Elk Peak is the highest summit of the Black Hills and the State of South Dakota.

• 

  Mount Mitchell is the highest summit of the Appalachian Mountains and the State of North Carolina.

• 

  Mount Washington is the highest summit of the White Mountains and the State of New Hampshire.

• 

  Mount Katahdin is the highest summit of the State of Maine

• 

  Lake Michigan is the lowest area of the State of Wisconsin.

• 

  Britton Hill in the State of Florida is the lowest state high point in the United States.

• 

  Lake Champlain is the lowest area of the State of Vermont.

• 

  The Badwater Basin in Death Valley is the lowest area of the State of California, the United States, and all of North America.

• 

  Cerro de Punta, the highest point in Puerto Rico, seen from Ponce (highest point in U.S. outside the 50 states)

• 

  Mount Agrihan is the highest point in the Northern Mariana Islands and all of Micronesia

Additional highest U.S. areas

• Highest points in the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands, mostly unnamed:
  • Baker Island – 8 m (26.2 ft)
  • Howland Island – 3 m (9.8 ft)
  • Jarvis Island – 7 m (23 ft)
  • Johnston Atoll (Sand Island) – 10 m (32.8 ft)
  • Kingman Reef – less than 2 m (less than 6.5 ft)
  • Midway Atoll – water tower hill (Sand Island) — 15 m (49.21 ft) (Highest point of the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands in the Pacific Ocean)
  • Navassa Island – 85 m (278.5 ft) (Highest point of the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands)
  • Palmyra Atoll – 3 m (9.8 ft)
  • Wake Island – 8 m (26.2 ft)

Images for kids

• 

  Map of states by mean elevation

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Estados de los Estados Unidos por altitud para niños