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Elevation

Elevation of Athens

753ft

above sea level · 230 m

Athens is a city in Georgia with 128,612 people, the 6th most populous in the state. Of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people, it’s the 83rd highest.

By the Mapsfera Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates
33.96° N · 83.38° W
In degrees, minutes and seconds: 33° 57′ 39″ N · 83° 22′ 41″ W
UTM coordinates
17S · 280,278 E · 3,760,374 N
Zone 17 · NAD83, the official US datum
County
Clarke County
Where the city’s reference point falls
State
Georgia
GA · capital: Atlanta
Time zone
Eastern Time
UTC−5 · UTC−4 in summer (daylight saving time)
Population (2025)
128,612 people
116 sq mi of land · 1,105 people/sq mi
Elevation model
USGS 3DEP, 1 m grid
Lidar from March 2019: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

Athens had 128,612 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 1.0% more than in April 2020, when it had 127,357. Its 116 sq mi of land work out to 1,105 people/sq mi; the state average is 196 people/sq mi.

It’s the 6th most populous of the 676 places the Census counts in Georgia (cities, towns and CDPs), after Atlanta (529,110), and holds 1.1% of the state’s population.

It lies entirely within Clarke County. Its reference point in the USGS gazetteer is 0.9 mi from the geographic center the Census gives for the city.

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

Athens sits at 753 ft (230 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: Athens is 109 ft below it.

The state capital, Atlanta, is 60 mi away in a straight line and 297 ft higher than Athens.

Of the 8 cities in Georgia with a page, Athens is the 4th highest: the highest is Sandy Springs (1,092 ft) and the lowest is Savannah (21 ft).

The highest point in Georgia is Brasstown Bald, at 4,784 ft according to the USGS: 4,031 ft above Athens, 68 mi away in a straight line.

  1. 81 Broken Arrow 756 ft
  2. 82 Georgetown 754 ft
  3. 83 Athens 753 ft
  4. 84 Dayton 740 ft
  5. 85 Elgin 740 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 Athens and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Athens with any other point on the map. Map of Clarke County The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Athens 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 Georgia 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 Athens.

What is the elevation of Athens?

Athens is 753 feet (230 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 Athens?

Latitude 33.96095 and longitude -83.37794, in decimal degrees (33° 57′ 39″ N · 83° 22′ 41″ W). In UTM, zone 17: 280,278 E and 3,760,374 N, on NAD83.

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

It’s the 83rd highest 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 Athens in?

Clarke County, Georgia.

Which is higher, Athens or Atlanta?

Atlanta. Athens sits at 753 ft and Atlanta at 1,050 ft: a difference of 297 ft, 60 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