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Elevation

Elevation of South Bend

692ft

above sea level · 211 m

South Bend is a city in Indiana with 103,201 people, the 6th most populous in the state. Of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people, it’s the 92nd highest.

By the Mapsfera Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates
41.68° N · 86.25° W
In degrees, minutes and seconds: 41° 41′ 0″ N · 86° 15′ 0″ W
UTM coordinates
16T · 562,420 E · 4,614,895 N
Zone 16 · NAD83, the official US datum
County
St. Joseph County
Where the city’s reference point falls
State
Indiana
IN · capital: Indianapolis
Time zone
Eastern Time
UTC−5 · UTC−4 in summer (daylight saving time)
Population (2025)
103,201 people
41.9 sq mi of land · 2,463 people/sq mi
Elevation model
USGS 3DEP, 1 m grid
Lidar from October 2020: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

South Bend had 103,201 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, about the same as in April 2020 (103,436). Its 41.9 sq mi of land work out to 2,463 people/sq mi; the state average is 195 people/sq mi.

It’s the 6th most populous of the 974 places the Census counts in Indiana (cities, towns and CDPs), after Indianapolis (901,116), and holds 1.5% of the state’s population.

It lies entirely within St. Joseph County. Its reference point in the USGS gazetteer is 1.1 mi from the geographic center the Census gives for the city.

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

South Bend sits at 692 ft (211 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: South Bend is 170 ft below it.

The state capital, Indianapolis, is 132 mi away in a straight line and 38 ft higher than South Bend.

The nearest city with more than 250,000 people is Fort Wayne, 70 mi away in a straight line and 118 ft higher.

Of the 6 cities in Indiana with a page, South Bend is the 2nd lowest. The others are Carmel (853 ft), Fishers (816 ft), Fort Wayne (810 ft), Indianapolis (730 ft), and Evansville (383 ft).

The highest point in Indiana is Hoosier Hill, at 1,257 ft according to the USGS: 565 ft above South Bend, 137 mi away in a straight line.

  1. 90 Concord 706 ft
  2. 91 Frisco 697 ft
  3. 92 South Bend 692 ft
  4. 93 Corona 678 ft
  5. 94 Chattanooga 676 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 South Bend and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of South Bend with any other point on the map. Map of St. Joseph County The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in South Bend 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 Indiana counties Print it blank, with names or to color in.

Frequently asked questions

What people most often ask about the elevation of South Bend.

What is the elevation of South Bend?

South Bend is 692 feet (211 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 South Bend?

Latitude 41.68338 and longitude -86.25001, in decimal degrees (41° 41′ 0″ N · 86° 15′ 0″ W). In UTM, zone 16: 562,420 E and 4,614,895 N, on NAD83.

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

It’s the 92nd 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 South Bend in?

St. Joseph County, Indiana.

Which is higher, South Bend or Indianapolis?

Indianapolis. South Bend sits at 692 ft and Indianapolis at 730 ft: a difference of 38 ft, 132 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