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Elevation

Elevation of Odessa

2,898ft

above sea level · 883 m

Odessa is a city in Texas with 122,707 people, the 32nd most populous in the state. Of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people, it’s the 21st highest.

By the Mapsfera Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates
31.85° N · 102.37° W
In degrees, minutes and seconds: 31° 50′ 44″ N · 102° 22′ 4″ W
UTM coordinates
13R · 749,095 E · 3,526,351 N
Zone 13 · NAD83, the official US datum
County
Ector County
The city spans 2 counties; its reference point is in this one
State
Texas
TX · capital: Austin
Time zone
Central Time
UTC−6 · UTC−5 in summer (daylight saving time)
Population (2025)
122,707 people
52.0 sq mi of land · 2,357 people/sq mi
Elevation model
USGS 3DEP, 1 m grid
Lidar from March 2018: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

Odessa had 122,707 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 7.2% more than in April 2020, when it had 114,444. Its 52.0 sq mi of land work out to 2,357 people/sq mi; the state average is 121 people/sq mi.

It’s the 32nd most populous of the 1,862 places the Census counts in Texas (cities, towns and CDPs), after Houston (2,397,315), and holds 0.4% of the state’s population.

The city spreads across 2 counties. By population: Ector County (118,390) and Midland County (4,317). Its reference point, where we measure the elevation, is in Ector County.

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

Odessa sits at 2,898 ft (883 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: Odessa is 2,036 ft above it.

The state capital, Austin, is 295 mi away in a straight line and 2,411 ft lower than Odessa.

The nearest city with more than 250,000 people is Lubbock, 123 mi away in a straight line and 305 ft higher.

Of the 44 cities in Texas with a page, Odessa is the 4th highest: the highest is El Paso (3,713 ft) and the lowest is Corpus Christi (7 ft).

The highest point in Texas is Guadalupe Peak, at 8,749 ft according to the USGS: 5,851 ft above Odessa, 146 mi away in a straight line.

  1. 19 Hesperia 3,178 ft
  2. 20 Billings 3,122 ft
  3. 21 Odessa 2,898 ft
  4. 22 Midland 2,780 ft
  5. 23 Victorville 2,722 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 Odessa and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Odessa with any other point on the map. Map of Ector County The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Odessa 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 Texas counties Print it blank, with names or to color in.

Frequently asked questions

What people most often ask about the elevation of Odessa.

What is the elevation of Odessa?

Odessa is 2,898 feet (883 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 Odessa?

Latitude 31.84568 and longitude -102.36764, in decimal degrees (31° 50′ 44″ N · 102° 22′ 4″ W). In UTM, zone 13: 749,095 E and 3,526,351 N, on NAD83.

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

It’s the 21st 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 Odessa in?

Several: Ector County and Midland County. Most of its people live in Ector County.

Which is higher, Odessa or Austin?

Odessa. Odessa sits at 2,898 ft and Austin at 487 ft: a difference of 2,411 ft, 295 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