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Elevation

Elevation of Chesapeake

12ft

above sea level · 4 m

Chesapeake is a city in Virginia with 255,332 people, the 2nd most populous in the state. Of the 91 US cities with more than 250,000 people, it’s the 5th lowest.

By the Mapsfera Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates
36.82° N · 76.27° W
In degrees, minutes and seconds: 36° 49′ 9″ N · 76° 16′ 30″ W
UTM coordinates
18S · 386,290 E · 4,075,556 N
Zone 18 · NAD83, the official US datum
County
Chesapeake 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)
255,332 people
338 sq mi of land · 754 people/sq mi
Elevation model
USGS 3DEP, 1 m grid
Lidar from February 2024: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

Chesapeake had 255,332 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 2.4% more than in April 2020, when it had 249,251. Its 338 sq mi of land work out to 754 people/sq mi; the state average is 225 people/sq mi.

It’s the 2nd most populous of the 684 places the Census counts in Virginia (cities, towns and CDPs), after Virginia Beach (453,737), and holds 2.9% of the state’s population.

It lies entirely within Chesapeake city. Its reference point in the USGS gazetteer is 9.8 mi from the geographic center the Census gives for the city.

Compared with other big cities

Chesapeake sits at 12 ft (4 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: Chesapeake is 846 ft below it.

The state capital, Richmond, is 83 mi away in a straight line and 201 ft higher than Chesapeake.

Of the 3 cities in Virginia with a page, Chesapeake is the 2nd highest. The others are Richmond (213 ft) and Virginia Beach (10 ft).

The highest point in Virginia is Mount Rogers, at 5,729 ft according to the USGS: 5,717 ft above Chesapeake, 292 mi away in a straight line.

  1. 84 Tampa 15 ft
  2. 85 Port St. Lucie 14 ft
  3. 86 Chesapeake 12 ft
  4. 87 Stockton 12 ft
  5. 88 Virginia Beach 10 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 Chesapeake and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Chesapeake with any other point on the map. Map of Chesapeake city The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Chesapeake 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.

Frequently asked questions

What people most often ask about the elevation of Chesapeake.

What is the elevation of Chesapeake?

Chesapeake is 12 feet (4 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 Chesapeake?

Latitude 36.81904 and longitude -76.27494, in decimal degrees (36° 49′ 9″ N · 76° 16′ 30″ W). In UTM, zone 18: 386,290 E and 4,075,556 N, on NAD83.

How does Chesapeake rank among the highest big cities?

It’s the 5th 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 Chesapeake in?

Chesapeake city, Virginia.

Which is higher, Chesapeake or Richmond?

Richmond. Chesapeake sits at 12 ft and Richmond at 213 ft: a difference of 201 ft, 83 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