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Elevation

Elevation of Cary

498ft

above sea level · 152 m

Cary is a city in North Carolina with 183,582 people, the 7th most populous in the state. Of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people, it’s the 123rd highest.

By the Mapsfera Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates
35.79° N · 78.78° W
In degrees, minutes and seconds: 35° 47′ 30″ N · 78° 46′ 52″ W
UTM coordinates
17S · 700,524 E · 3,963,099 N
Zone 17 · NAD83, the official US datum
County
Wake County
The city spans 3 counties; its reference point is in this one
State
North Carolina
NC · capital: Raleigh
Time zone
Eastern Time
UTC−5 · UTC−4 in summer (daylight saving time)
Population (2025)
183,582 people
61.1 sq mi of land · 3,005 people/sq mi
Elevation model
USGS 3DEP, 3 m grid
Data from December 2002: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

Cary had 183,582 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 5.0% more than in April 2020, when it had 174,787. Its 61.1 sq mi of land work out to 3,005 people/sq mi; the state average is 230 people/sq mi.

It’s the 7th most populous of the 776 places the Census counts in North Carolina (cities, towns and CDPs), after Charlotte (964,784), and holds 1.6% of the state’s population.

The city spreads across 3 counties. By population: Wake County (179,502), Chatham County (4,079), and Durham County (1). Its reference point, where we measure the elevation, is in Wake County.

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

Cary sits at 498 ft (152 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: Cary is 364 ft below it.

The state capital, Raleigh, is 8.1 mi away in a straight line and 183 ft lower than Cary.

Of the 10 cities in North Carolina with a page, Cary is the 5th lowest: the highest is High Point (922 ft) and the lowest is Wilmington (37 ft).

The highest point in North Carolina is Mount Mitchell, at 6,684 ft according to the USGS: 6,186 ft above Cary, 195 mi away in a straight line.

  1. 121 Peoria 502 ft
  2. 122 Mesquite 499 ft
  3. 123 Cary 498 ft
  4. 124 Worcester 484 ft
  5. 125 Clarksville 474 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 Cary and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Cary with any other point on the map. Map of Wake County The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Cary 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 North Carolina counties Print it blank, with names or to color in.

Frequently asked questions

What people most often ask about the elevation of Cary.

What is the elevation of Cary?

Cary is 498 feet (152 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 Cary?

Latitude 35.79154 and longitude -78.78112, in decimal degrees (35° 47′ 30″ N · 78° 46′ 52″ W). In UTM, zone 17: 700,524 E and 3,963,099 N, on NAD83.

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

It’s the 123rd 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 Cary in?

Several: Wake County, Chatham County, and Durham County. Most of its people live in Wake County.

Which is higher, Cary or Raleigh?

Cary. Cary sits at 498 ft and Raleigh at 315 ft: a difference of 183 ft, 8.1 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