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Elevation

Elevation of Alexandria

36ft

above sea level · 11 m

Alexandria is a city in Virginia with 160,662 people, the 7th most populous in the state. Of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people, it’s the 37th lowest.

By the Mapsfera Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates
38.80° N · 77.05° W
In degrees, minutes and seconds: 38° 48′ 17″ N · 77° 2′ 49″ W
UTM coordinates
18S · 322,259 E · 4,297,109 N
Zone 18 · NAD83, the official US datum
County
Alexandria city
Where the city’s reference point falls
State
Virginia
VA · capital: Richmond
Time zone
Eastern Time
UTC−5 · UTC−4 in summer (daylight saving time)
Population (2025)
160,662 people
14.9 sq mi of land · 10,754 people/sq mi
Elevation model
USGS 3DEP, 1 m grid
Lidar from November 2022: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

Alexandria had 160,662 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 0.7% more than in April 2020, when it had 159,470. Its 14.9 sq mi of land work out to 10,754 people/sq mi; the state average is 225 people/sq mi.

It’s the 7th most populous of the 684 places the Census counts in Virginia (cities, towns and CDPs), after Virginia Beach (453,737), and holds 1.8% of the state’s population.

It lies entirely within Alexandria city. Its reference point in the USGS gazetteer is 2.2 mi from the geographic center the Census gives for the city.

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

Alexandria sits at 36 ft (11 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: Alexandria is 826 ft below it.

The state capital, Richmond, is 89 mi away in a straight line and 177 ft higher than Alexandria.

The nearest city with more than 250,000 people is Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia), 6.3 mi away in a straight line and 12 ft lower.

Of the 8 cities in Virginia with a page, Alexandria is the 3rd highest: the highest is Richmond (213 ft) and the lowest is Norfolk (7 ft).

The highest point in Virginia is Mount Rogers, at 5,729 ft according to the USGS: 5,693 ft above Alexandria, 287 mi away in a straight line.

  1. 210 Lafayette 37 ft
  2. 211 Wilmington 37 ft
  3. 212 Alexandria 36 ft
  4. 213 Lynn 36 ft
  5. 214 Brownsville 35 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 Alexandria and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Alexandria with any other point on the map. Map of Alexandria city The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Alexandria 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 Virginia counties Print it blank, with names or to color in.

Step-by-step guide How to find the elevation of any place

Frequently asked questions

What people most often ask about the elevation of Alexandria.

What is the elevation of Alexandria?

Alexandria is 36 feet (11 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 Alexandria?

Latitude 38.80484 and longitude -77.04692, in decimal degrees (38° 48′ 17″ N · 77° 2′ 49″ W). In UTM, zone 18: 322,259 E and 4,297,109 N, on NAD83.

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

It’s the 37th lowest 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 Alexandria in?

Alexandria city, Virginia.

Which is higher, Alexandria or Richmond?

Richmond. Alexandria sits at 36 ft and Richmond at 213 ft: a difference of 177 ft, 89 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