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Elevation

Elevation of Greensboro

823ft

above sea level · 251 m

Greensboro is a city in North Carolina with 308,667 people, the 3rd most populous in the state. Of the 91 US cities with more than 250,000 people, it’s the 28th highest.

By the Mapsfera Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates
36.07° N · 79.79° W
In degrees, minutes and seconds: 36° 4′ 21″ N · 79° 47′ 31″ W
UTM coordinates
17S · 608,779 E · 3,992,680 N
Zone 17 · NAD83, the official US datum
County
Guilford County
Where the city’s reference point falls
State
North Carolina
NC · capital: Raleigh
Time zone
Eastern Time
UTC−5 · UTC−4 in summer (daylight saving time)
Population (2025)
308,667 people
135 sq mi of land · 2,291 people/sq mi
Elevation model
USGS 3DEP, 3 m grid
Data from December 2002: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

Greensboro had 308,667 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 3.2% more than in April 2020, when it had 299,197. Its 135 sq mi of land work out to 2,291 people/sq mi; the state average is 230 people/sq mi.

It’s the 3rd most populous of the 776 places the Census counts in North Carolina (cities, towns and CDPs), after Charlotte (964,784), and holds 2.8% of the state’s population.

It lies entirely within Guilford County. Its reference point in the USGS gazetteer is 2.3 mi from the geographic center the Census gives for the city.

Compared with other big cities

Greensboro sits at 823 ft (251 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: Greensboro is 35 ft below it.

The state capital, Raleigh, is 68 mi away in a straight line and 508 ft lower than Greensboro.

Of the 5 cities in North Carolina with a page, Greensboro is the 2nd highest. The others are Winston-Salem (911 ft), Charlotte (763 ft), Durham (395 ft), and Raleigh (315 ft).

The highest point in North Carolina is Mount Mitchell, at 6,684 ft according to the USGS: 5,861 ft above Greensboro, 140 mi away in a straight line.

  1. 26 Minneapolis 830 ft
  2. 27 Riverside 829 ft
  3. 28 Greensboro 823 ft
  4. 29 Fort Wayne 810 ft
  5. 30 St. Paul 789 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 Greensboro and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Greensboro with any other point on the map. Map of Guilford County The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Greensboro 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 Greensboro.

What is the elevation of Greensboro?

Greensboro is 823 feet (251 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 Greensboro?

Latitude 36.07264 and longitude -79.79198, in decimal degrees (36° 4′ 21″ N · 79° 47′ 31″ W). In UTM, zone 17: 608,779 E and 3,992,680 N, on NAD83.

How does Greensboro rank among the highest big cities?

It’s the 28th highest 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 Greensboro in?

Guilford County, North Carolina.

Which is higher, Greensboro or Raleigh?

Greensboro. Greensboro sits at 823 ft and Raleigh at 315 ft: a difference of 508 ft, 68 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