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Elevation

Elevation of Sparks

4,413ft

above sea level · 1,345 m

Sparks is a city in Nevada with 111,902 people, the 9th most populous in the state. Of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people, it’s the 12th highest.

By the Mapsfera Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates
39.53° N · 119.75° W
In degrees, minutes and seconds: 39° 32′ 6″ N · 119° 45′ 10″ W
UTM coordinates
11S · 263,428 E · 4,379,758 N
Zone 11 · NAD83, the official US datum
County
Washoe County
Where the city’s reference point falls
State
Nevada
NV · capital: Carson City
Time zone
Pacific Time
UTC−8 · UTC−7 in summer (daylight saving time)
Population (2025)
111,902 people
36.5 sq mi of land · 3,066 people/sq mi
Elevation model
USGS 3DEP, 1 m grid
Lidar from August 2023: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

Sparks had 111,902 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 3.2% more than in April 2020, when it had 108,456. Its 36.5 sq mi of land work out to 3,066 people/sq mi; the state average is 30 people/sq mi.

It’s the 9th most populous of the 132 places the Census counts in Nevada (cities, towns and CDPs), after Las Vegas (679,817), and holds 3.4% of the state’s population.

It lies entirely within Washoe County. Its reference point in the USGS gazetteer is 3.4 mi from the geographic center the Census gives for the city.

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

Sparks sits at 4,413 ft (1,345 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: Sparks is 3,551 ft above it.

The state capital, Carson City, is 26 mi away in a straight line and 267 ft higher than Sparks.

The nearest city with more than 250,000 people is Reno, 3.3 mi away in a straight line and 92 ft higher.

Of the 6 cities in Nevada with a page, Sparks is the 3rd highest. The others are Carson City (4,680 ft), Reno (4,505 ft), Las Vegas (1,996 ft), Henderson (1,869 ft), and North Las Vegas (1,858 ft).

The highest point in Nevada is Boundary Peak, at 13,140 ft according to the USGS: 8,727 ft above Sparks, 139 mi away in a straight line.

  1. 10 Greeley 4,674 ft
  2. 11 Provo 4,553 ft
  3. 12 Sparks 4,413 ft
  4. 13 West Jordan 4,373 ft
  5. 14 West Valley City 4,306 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 Sparks and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Sparks with any other point on the map. Map of Washoe County The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Sparks 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 Nevada counties Print it blank, with names or to color in.

Frequently asked questions

What people most often ask about the elevation of Sparks.

What is the elevation of Sparks?

Sparks is 4,413 feet (1,345 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 Sparks?

Latitude 39.53491 and longitude -119.75269, in decimal degrees (39° 32′ 6″ N · 119° 45′ 10″ W). In UTM, zone 11: 263,428 E and 4,379,758 N, on NAD83.

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

It’s the 12th 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 Sparks in?

Washoe County, Nevada.

Which is higher, Sparks or Carson City?

Carson City. Sparks sits at 4,413 ft and Carson City at 4,680 ft: a difference of 267 ft, 26 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