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Elevation

Elevation of Jefferson City

630ft

above sea level · 192 m

Jefferson City is the capital of Missouri. Of the 50 state capitals, it’s the 21st highest. The state’s largest city is Kansas City.

By the Mapsfera Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates
38.58° N · 92.17° W
In degrees, minutes and seconds: 38° 34′ 36″ N · 92° 10′ 25″ W
UTM coordinates
15S · 571,992 E · 4,270,128 N
Zone 15 · NAD83, the official US datum
County
Cole County
The city spans 2 counties; its reference point is in this one
State
Missouri
MO · capital: Jefferson City
Time zone
Central Time
UTC−6 · UTC−5 in summer (daylight saving time)
Population (2025)
42,489 people
36.1 sq mi of land · 1,178 people/sq mi
Elevation model
USGS 3DEP, 1 m grid
Lidar from April 2020: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

Jefferson City had 42,489 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 1.8% fewer than in April 2020, when it had 43,254. Its 36.1 sq mi of land work out to 1,178 people/sq mi; the state average is 91 people/sq mi.

It’s the 16th most populous of the 1,081 places the Census counts in Missouri (cities, towns and CDPs), after Kansas City (521,220), and holds 0.7% of the state’s population.

The city spreads across 2 counties. By population: Cole County (42,467) and Callaway County (22). Its reference point, where we measure the elevation, is in Cole County.

Compared with other state capitals

Jefferson City sits at 630 ft (192 m) above sea level. Of the 50 state capitals, the highest is Santa Fe (6,997 ft) and the lowest is Providence (9 ft). The average is 1,098 ft: Jefferson City is 468 ft below it.

Of the 3 cities in Missouri with a page, Jefferson City is the 2nd highest. The others are Kansas City (898 ft) and St. Louis (464 ft).

The highest point in Missouri is Taum Sauk Mountain, at 1,772 ft according to the USGS: 1,142 ft above Jefferson City, 105 mi away in a straight line.

  1. 19 Columbus 780 ft
  2. 20 Indianapolis 730 ft
  3. 21 Jefferson City 630 ft
  4. 22 Springfield 600 ft
  5. 23 Charleston 596 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 Jefferson City and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Jefferson City with any other point on the map. Map of Cole County The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Jefferson City 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 Missouri counties Print it blank, with names or to color in.

Frequently asked questions

What people most often ask about the elevation of Jefferson City.

What is the elevation of Jefferson City?

Jefferson City is 630 feet (192 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 Jefferson City?

Latitude 38.57670 and longitude -92.17352, in decimal degrees (38° 34′ 36″ N · 92° 10′ 25″ W). In UTM, zone 15: 571,992 E and 4,270,128 N, on NAD83.

How does Jefferson City rank among the highest state capitals?

It’s the 21st highest of the 50 state capitals. The highest is Santa Fe (6,997 ft) and the lowest is Providence (9 ft).

What county is Jefferson City in?

Several: Cole County and Callaway County. Most of its people live in Cole County.

Which is higher, Jefferson City or St. Louis?

Jefferson City. Jefferson City sits at 630 ft and St. Louis at 464 ft: a difference of 166 ft, 107 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