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Elevation

Elevation of Torrance

86ft

above sea level · 26 m

Torrance is a city in California with 138,391 people, the 43rd most populous in the state. Of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people, it’s the 67th lowest.

By the Mapsfera Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates
33.84° N · 118.34° W
In degrees, minutes and seconds: 33° 50′ 9″ N · 118° 20′ 26″ W
UTM coordinates
11S · 375,954 E · 3,744,764 N
Zone 11 · NAD83, the official US datum
County
Los Angeles County
Where the city’s reference point falls
State
California
CA · capital: Sacramento
Time zone
Pacific Time
UTC−8 · UTC−7 in summer (daylight saving time)
Population (2025)
138,391 people
20.5 sq mi of land · 6,744 people/sq mi
Elevation model
USGS 3DEP, 1 m grid
Lidar from June 2024: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

Torrance had 138,391 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 5.8% fewer than in April 2020, when it had 146,940. Its 20.5 sq mi of land work out to 6,744 people/sq mi; the state average is 253 people/sq mi.

It’s the 43rd most populous of the 1,617 places the Census counts in California (cities, towns and CDPs), after Los Angeles (3,869,089), and holds 0.4% of the state’s population.

It lies entirely within Los Angeles County. Its reference point in the USGS gazetteer is 1.0 mi from the geographic center the Census gives for the city.

Compared with US cities of 100,000 to 250,000

Torrance sits at 86 ft (26 m) above sea level. Of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people, the highest is Lakewood (5,520 ft) and the lowest is Fort Lauderdale (3 ft). The average is 862 ft: Torrance is 776 ft below it.

The state capital, Sacramento, is 372 mi away in a straight line and 59 ft lower than Torrance.

The nearest city with more than 250,000 people is Long Beach, 9.9 mi away in a straight line and 53 ft lower.

Of the 75 cities in California with a page, Torrance is the 26th lowest: the highest is Hesperia (3,178 ft) and the lowest is Stockton (12 ft).

The highest point in California is Mount Whitney, at 14,494 ft according to the USGS: 14,408 ft above Torrance, 190 mi away in a straight line.

  1. 181 Modesto 88 ft
  2. 182 Bellevue 86 ft
  3. 183 Torrance 86 ft
  4. 184 Yonkers 85 ft
  5. 185 Everett 84 ft

Each color band is 500 m (1,640 ft), the same colors as the map. See the full list

Nearest cities with a page

Tools for this place

Elevation profile Draw a route from Torrance and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Torrance with any other point on the map. Map of Los Angeles County The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Torrance and its clock changes. What county am I in? See which county, city and ZIP code you’re in, from your location. Blank map of California counties Print it blank, with names or to color in.

Step-by-step guide How to find the elevation of any place

Frequently asked questions

What people most often ask about the elevation of Torrance.

What is the elevation of Torrance?

Torrance is 86 feet (26 m) above sea level. That’s the ground height from the USGS 3DEP elevation model at the city’s reference point in the official gazetteer (GNIS). The city doesn’t have a single elevation: it rises and falls from one neighborhood to another.

What are the coordinates of Torrance?

Latitude 33.83585 and longitude -118.34063, in decimal degrees (33° 50′ 9″ N · 118° 20′ 26″ W). In UTM, zone 11: 375,954 E and 3,744,764 N, on NAD83.

How does Torrance rank among the highest US cities of its size?

It’s the 67th lowest of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people. The highest is Lakewood (5,520 ft) and the lowest is Fort Lauderdale (3 ft).

What county is Torrance in?

Los Angeles County, California.

Which is higher, Torrance or Sacramento?

Torrance. Torrance sits at 86 ft and Sacramento at 27 ft: a difference of 59 ft, 372 mi apart in a straight line.

How is elevation measured?

Elevation is the height above mean sea level. In the US the official reference is the NAVD88 vertical datum. Summits are surveyed on the ground, with leveling and precise GPS. The USGS 3DEP is an elevation model of the whole country, largely from 1-meter lidar: it gives the ground height at every point. That’s why it can differ by a few feet from the official figure of a sharp summit.

Sources

  • USGS 3DEP (EPQS service) The elevation: the ground height at the reference point. Public domain.
  • USGS GNIS (official gazetteer) The city’s reference point (“Populated Place”). Public domain.
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 estimates Population, land area (2025 Gazetteer) and counties. Public domain.
  • TIGERweb (U.S. Census Bureau) Which county and city the point falls in. Public domain.
  • timezone-boundary-builder The point’s time zone (ODbL, © OpenStreetMap contributors).
  • Terrain Tiles, OpenStreetMap and OpenFreeMap The relief shading and the base map (ODbL).

Methodology and sources · Spotted a mistake? Let us know