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Elevation

Elevation of Joliet

541ft

above sea level · 165 m

Joliet is a city in Illinois with 152,241 people, the 4th most populous in the state. Of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people, it’s the 114th highest.

By the Mapsfera Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates
41.53° N · 88.08° W
In degrees, minutes and seconds: 41° 31′ 30″ N · 88° 4′ 54″ W
UTM coordinates
16T · 409,750 E · 4,597,608 N
Zone 16 · NAD83, the official US datum
County
Will County
The city spans 2 counties; its reference point is in this one
State
Illinois
IL · capital: Springfield
Time zone
Central Time
UTC−6 · UTC−5 in summer (daylight saving time)
Population (2025)
152,241 people
66.3 sq mi of land · 2,298 people/sq mi
Elevation model
USGS 3DEP, 1 m grid
Lidar from February 2026: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

Joliet had 152,241 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 1.2% more than in April 2020, when it had 150,503. Its 66.3 sq mi of land work out to 2,298 people/sq mi; the state average is 229 people/sq mi.

It’s the 4th most populous of the 1,461 places the Census counts in Illinois (cities, towns and CDPs), after Chicago (2,731,585), and holds 1.2% of the state’s population.

The city spreads across 2 counties. By population: Will County (137,691) and Kendall County (14,550). Its reference point, where we measure the elevation, is in Will County.

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

Joliet sits at 541 ft (165 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: Joliet is 321 ft below it.

The state capital, Springfield, is 144 mi away in a straight line and 59 ft higher than Joliet.

The nearest city with more than 250,000 people is Chicago, 32 mi away in a straight line and 47 ft higher.

Of the 8 cities in Illinois with a page, Joliet is the 2nd lowest: the highest is Elgin (740 ft) and the lowest is Peoria (502 ft).

The highest point in Illinois is Charles Mound, at 1,235 ft according to the USGS: 694 ft above Joliet, 130 mi away in a straight line.

  1. 112 Davenport 588 ft
  2. 113 Garland 554 ft
  3. 114 Joliet 541 ft
  4. 115 Tyler 540 ft
  5. 116 Carrollton 528 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 Joliet and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Joliet with any other point on the map. Map of Will County The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Joliet 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 Illinois 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 Joliet.

What is the elevation of Joliet?

Joliet is 541 feet (165 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 Joliet?

Latitude 41.52503 and longitude -88.08173, in decimal degrees (41° 31′ 30″ N · 88° 4′ 54″ W). In UTM, zone 16: 409,750 E and 4,597,608 N, on NAD83.

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

It’s the 114th 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 Joliet in?

Several: Will County and Kendall County. Most of its people live in Will County.

Which is higher, Joliet or Springfield?

Springfield. Joliet sits at 541 ft and Springfield at 600 ft: a difference of 59 ft, 144 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