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Elevation

Elevation of Durham

395ft

above sea level · 120 m

Durham is a city in North Carolina with 305,561 people, the 4th most populous in the state. Of the 91 US cities with more than 250,000 people, it’s the 37th lowest.

By the Mapsfera Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates
35.99° N · 78.90° W
In degrees, minutes and seconds: 35° 59′ 39″ N · 78° 53′ 55″ W
UTM coordinates
17S · 689,420 E · 3,985,329 N
Zone 17 · NAD83, the official US datum
County
Durham 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)
305,561 people
120 sq mi of land · 2,548 people/sq mi
Elevation model
USGS 3DEP, 3 m grid
Data from December 2002: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

Durham had 305,561 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 7.6% more than in April 2020, when it had 283,881. Its 120 sq mi of land work out to 2,548 people/sq mi; the state average is 230 people/sq mi.

It’s the 4th most populous of the 776 places the Census counts in North Carolina (cities, towns and CDPs), after Charlotte (964,784), and holds 2.7% of the state’s population.

The city spreads across 3 counties. By population: Durham County (305,116), Wake County (298), and Orange County (147). Its reference point, where we measure the elevation, is in Durham County.

Compared with other big cities

Durham sits at 395 ft (120 m) above sea level. Of the 91 US cities with more than 250,000 people, the highest is Colorado Springs (6,009 ft) and the lowest is New Orleans (0 ft). The average is 858 ft: Durham is 463 ft below it.

The state capital, Raleigh, is 21 mi away in a straight line and 80 ft lower than Durham.

Of the 5 cities in North Carolina with a page, Durham is the 2nd lowest. The others are Winston-Salem (911 ft), Greensboro (823 ft), Charlotte (763 ft), and Raleigh (315 ft).

The highest point in North Carolina is Mount Mitchell, at 6,684 ft according to the USGS: 6,289 ft above Durham, 189 mi away in a straight line.

  1. 53 Laredo 413 ft
  2. 54 Bakersfield 404 ft
  3. 55 Durham 395 ft
  4. 56 Raleigh 315 ft
  5. 57 Fresno 312 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 Durham and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Durham with any other point on the map. Map of Durham County The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Durham 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 Durham.

What is the elevation of Durham?

Durham is 395 feet (120 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 Durham?

Latitude 35.99403 and longitude -78.89862, in decimal degrees (35° 59′ 39″ N · 78° 53′ 55″ W). In UTM, zone 17: 689,420 E and 3,985,329 N, on NAD83.

How does Durham rank among the highest big cities?

It’s the 37th lowest of the 91 US cities with more than 250,000 people. The highest is Colorado Springs (6,009 ft) and the lowest is New Orleans (0 ft).

What county is Durham in?

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

Which is higher, Durham or Raleigh?

Durham. Durham sits at 395 ft and Raleigh at 315 ft: a difference of 80 ft, 21 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