Places

Elevation of a Place

Search any place to see its elevation above sea level in both metres and feet, pinned on a map. Type a city, landmark or address — or use your current location.

Try:

Search a place by name, paste an address, or enter “lat, lon”. You can also use your current location.

Elevation is ground height from SRTM-based DEM data (Open-Meteo), not your device’s GPS altitude. Coordinates use the WGS84 datum.

Runs in your browser — your location is never stored.

What “elevation” means here

Elevation is the height of the ground surface above mean sea level at a given point. It is not the same as your phone’s GPS altitude, which is noisy and can be off by tens of metres. Instead, this tool reads a digital elevation model (DEM) — a worldwide grid of measured ground heights — so the number reflects the terrain itself, not where your device thinks it is in the air. To find the spot first, search by name or use the find GPS coordinates tool, then read its elevation here.

How to look up a place’s elevation

  1. Search a place. Type a city, landmark, mountain or street address and press Search — or tap “Use my location” to read the ground height where you are.
  2. Read the result. The elevation appears in metres and feet, with the resolved place name and a map pin so you can confirm the exact point.
  3. Fine-tune the point. Drag the marker or tap the map to re-measure a nearby spot — useful for hilly terrain where elevation changes over short distances.
  4. Go further. Copy the elevation, or open the place in where am I for full coordinate details.

Where the elevation data comes from

Elevations are served by Open-Meteo’s elevation API, which is built on SRTM-based digital elevation models — the same family of radar-measured terrain data used across mapping and outdoor apps. The grid resolution is roughly 90 metres, so the value is the average ground height of a cell around your point rather than a single surveyed benchmark. That makes it excellent for context (Is this town high enough to feel the altitude? How much do I climb between two cities?) but not a substitute for a surveyed spot height. All coordinates use the WGS84 datum.

Typical elevations to compare against

PlaceApprox. elevationWhy it’s useful
Sea level (coast)0 m / 0 ftThe reference everything is measured against
Denver, USA≈ 1,609 m / 5,280 ftThe classic “Mile High” city
Mexico City≈ 2,240 m / 7,350 ftHigh-altitude capital where visitors notice the thin air
La Paz, Bolivia≈ 3,640 m / 11,940 ftAmong the highest large cities on Earth
Everest Base Camp≈ 5,360 m / 17,590 ftWhere altitude effects become serious
See all tools →

Frequently asked questions

How do I find the elevation of a place?
Type the place name, landmark or address into the search box above and press Search, or tap “Use my location”. The tool shows the ground elevation above sea level in both metres and feet, along with a map pin you can drag to re-measure a nearby point.

Is this the same as my GPS altitude?
No. GPS altitude is measured live by your device and can be off by tens of metres, especially indoors or in cities. This tool reports the ground elevation from a digital elevation model, so it reflects the terrain at that point rather than your device’s vertical position.

How accurate is the elevation?
It comes from SRTM-based data on roughly a 90-metre grid, so it’s the average ground height around your point — typically good to within a few metres on open terrain, and less precise on steep slopes, cliffs or near tall structures. Drag the marker to sample a more exact spot.

Why is the elevation 0 or negative?
Points over the sea read as 0, and a few land areas genuinely sit below sea level (for example the Dead Sea shore or Death Valley), so a small negative value can be correct. If you expected land, drag the pin onto the actual feature and check the result again.

Can I get elevation for my current location?
Yes — tap “Use my location”. Your browser will ask permission, then the tool reads the ground elevation at your detected coordinates. Your location stays in your browser and is never stored; see the where am I tool for more on how this works.

What does elevation above sea level actually mean?
It’s the vertical distance between the ground at your point and mean sea level, the global average ocean surface used as the zero reference. Higher elevations generally mean cooler temperatures and thinner air, which is why travellers feel altitude in cities like Denver or Cusco.