Louisiana: elevation, cities and highest point
Louisiana has 4,618,189 people (2025) and 64 parishes. Its highest point is Driskill Mountain, at 535 ft, and its lowest, New Orleans, at -8 ft. Here you’ll find the elevation of its capital, its cities over 250,000 people and its summit, with a map of its parishes.
By the Mapsfera Team
- Population (2025)
- 4,618,189
- The 25th most populous of the 50 states
- Land area
- 43,215 sq mi
- The 33rd largest state
- Parishes
- 64
- According to the Census (2025)
- Lowest point
- -8 ft
- New Orleans
Map of Louisiana’s parishes
- Capital’s parish
- Parish with a city page
- City, by elevation
- Highest point
Elevation
The capital, Baton Rouge, sits at 46 ft (14 m): the 44th highest of the 50 state capitals. Louisiana’s highest point, Driskill Mountain, is 171 mi away in a straight line and 489 ft higher.
Between its highest point (535 ft) and its lowest (-8 ft) there’s 543 ft of relief, according to the USGS table. Of the 50 state high points, Louisiana’s is the 48th highest.
Louisiana has 2 cities with a page. The highest is Baton Rouge, at 46 ft, and the lowest is New Orleans, at 0 ft: 46 ft apart.
Louisiana borders 3 states. Their highest points are Magazine Mountain, in Arkansas (2,753 ft), Woodall Mountain, in Mississippi (806 ft), and Guadalupe Peak, in Texas (8,749 ft): Louisiana’s is the 4th highest of the 4. Their capitals: Little Rock (337 ft), Jackson (279 ft), and Austin (487 ft).
- Driskill Mountain 535 ft
- Baton Rouge 46 ft
- New Orleans 0 ft
Population
Louisiana had 4,618,189 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 0.9% fewer than in April 2020 (4,657,894). Across 43,215 sq mi of land, that’s 107 people/sq mi.
Its most populous place is New Orleans, with 362,154 people. The Census counts 482 cities, towns and census-designated places (CDPs) in Louisiana.
| Place | Population | Land area | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans | 362,154 | 170 sq mi | 0 ft |
| Baton Rouge | 222,795 | 86.4 sq mi | 46 ft |
| Shreveport | 175,902 | 108 sq mi | — |
| Metairie | 139,729 | 23.2 sq mi | — |
| Lafayette | 123,311 | 56.4 sq mi | — |
| Lake Charles | 82,676 | 47.5 sq mi | — |
| St. George | 78,536 | 59.7 sq mi | — |
| Kenner | 65,136 | 14.9 sq mi | — |
| Bossier City | 63,259 | 44.4 sq mi | — |
| Monroe | 46,860 | 29.9 sq mi | — |
Neighboring states
Tools
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest point in Louisiana?
Driskill Mountain, at 535 ft, according to the USGS table. It’s the 48th highest of the 50 state high points.
What is the lowest point in Louisiana?
New Orleans, at -8 ft, according to the same USGS table.
What is the elevation of Baton Rouge, the capital?
46 ft above sea level, at its reference point in the USGS gazetteer. It’s the 44th highest state capital.
What is the highest city in Louisiana?
Of the cities with a page (the capital and those over 250,000 people), Baton Rouge, at 46 ft. Some smaller towns are higher: look them up with the point elevation tool.
How many parishes does Louisiana have?
64, according to the Census Bureau in 2025.
Sources
- Population, land area and counties: U.S. Census Bureau (Vintage 2025 estimates and 2025 Gazetteer), public domain.
- Highest and lowest points: USGS, “Elevations and Distances in the United States” (and, for Denali, the 2015 survey), public domain.
- City elevations: USGS 3DEP at each city’s GNIS point, public domain.
- County map: U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Cartographic Boundary Files (1:500,000).
Methodology and sources · Spotted a mistake? Let us know