Elevation

Elevation of Aurora

5,405ft

above sea level · 1,647 m

Aurora is a city in Colorado with 410,053 people, the 3rd most populous in the state. Of the 91 US cities with more than 250,000 people, it’s the 2nd highest.

By the Mapsfera Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates: 39.73° N · 104.83° W; In degrees, minutes and seconds: 39° 43′ 46″ N · 104° 49′ 55″ W
UTM coordinates: 13S · 514,404 E · 4,397,741 N; Zone 13 · NAD83, the official US datum
County: Arapahoe County; The city spans 3 counties; its reference point is in this one
State: Colorado; CO · capital: Denver
Time zone: Mountain Time; UTC−7 · UTC−6 in summer (daylight saving time)
Population (2025): 410,053 people; 164 sq mi of land · 2,498 people/sq mi
Elevation model: USGS 3DEP, 1 m grid; Lidar from February 2021: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

Aurora had 410,053 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 6.2% more than in April 2020, when it had 386,255. Its 164 sq mi of land work out to 2,498 people/sq mi; the state average is 58 people/sq mi.

It’s the 3rd most populous of the 482 places the Census counts in Colorado (cities, towns and CDPs), after Denver (740,613), and holds 6.8% of the state’s population.

The city spreads across 3 counties. By population: Arapahoe County (344,658), Adams County (61,110), and Douglas County (4,285). Its reference point, where we measure the elevation, is in Arapahoe County.

Compared with other big cities

Aurora sits at 5,405 ft (1,647 m) above sea level. Of the 91 US cities with more than 250,000 people, the highest is Colorado Springs (6,009 ft) and the lowest is New Orleans (0 ft). The average is 858 ft: Aurora is 4,547 ft above it.

The state capital, Denver, is 8.1 mi away in a straight line and 129 ft lower than Aurora.

Of the 3 cities in Colorado with a page, Aurora is the 2nd highest. The others are Colorado Springs (6,009 ft) and Denver (5,276 ft).

The highest point in Colorado is Mount Elbert, at 14,433 ft according to the USGS: 9,028 ft above Aurora, 96 mi away in a straight line.

1 Colorado Springs 6,009 ft
2 Aurora 5,405 ft
3 Denver 5,276 ft
4 Albuquerque 4,955 ft
5 Reno 4,505 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 Aurora and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Aurora with any other point on the map. Map of Arapahoe County The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Aurora 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 Colorado counties Print it blank, with names or to color in.

Frequently asked questions

What people most often ask about the elevation of Aurora.

What is the elevation of Aurora?

Aurora is 5,405 feet (1,647 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 Aurora?

Latitude 39.72943 and longitude -104.83192, in decimal degrees (39° 43′ 46″ N · 104° 49′ 55″ W). In UTM, zone 13: 514,404 E and 4,397,741 N, on NAD83.

How does Aurora rank among the highest big cities?

It’s the 2nd highest of the 91 US cities with more than 250,000 people. The highest is Colorado Springs (6,009 ft) and the lowest is New Orleans (0 ft).

What county is Aurora in?

Several: Arapahoe County, Adams County, and Douglas County. Most of its people live in Arapahoe County.

Which is higher, Aurora or Denver?

Aurora. Aurora sits at 5,405 ft and Denver at 5,276 ft: a difference of 129 ft, 8.1 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.
Terrain Tiles, OpenStreetMap and OpenFreeMap The relief shading and the base map (ODbL).

Methodology and sources · Spotted a mistake? Let us know