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Elevation

Elevation of Norfolk

7ft

above sea level · 2 m

Norfolk is a city in Virginia with 231,013 people, the 5th most populous in the state. Of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people, it’s the 6th lowest.

By the Mapsfera Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates
36.85° N · 76.29° W
In degrees, minutes and seconds: 36° 50′ 49″ N · 76° 17′ 7″ W
UTM coordinates
18S · 385,415 E · 4,078,650 N
Zone 18 · NAD83, the official US datum
County
Norfolk 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)
231,013 people
53.3 sq mi of land · 4,337 people/sq mi
Elevation model
USGS 3DEP, 1 m grid
Lidar from February 2024: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

Norfolk had 231,013 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 3.0% fewer than in April 2020, when it had 238,090. Its 53.3 sq mi of land work out to 4,337 people/sq mi; the state average is 225 people/sq mi.

It’s the 5th most populous of the 684 places the Census counts in Virginia (cities, towns and CDPs), after Virginia Beach (453,737), and holds 2.6% of the state’s population.

It lies entirely within Norfolk city. Its reference point in the USGS gazetteer is 5.7 mi from the geographic center the Census gives for the city.

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

Norfolk sits at 7 ft (2 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: Norfolk is 855 ft below it.

The state capital, Richmond, is 81 mi away in a straight line and 206 ft higher than Norfolk.

The nearest city with more than 250,000 people is Chesapeake, 2.0 mi away in a straight line and 5 ft higher.

Of the 8 cities in Virginia with a page, Norfolk is the lowest: 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: 5,722 ft above Norfolk, 291 mi away in a straight line.

  1. 242 Hampton 7 ft
  2. 243 Hialeah 7 ft
  3. 244 Norfolk 7 ft
  4. 245 Pembroke Pines 6 ft
  5. 246 Cape Coral 5 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 Norfolk and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Norfolk with any other point on the map. Map of Norfolk city The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Norfolk 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 Norfolk.

What is the elevation of Norfolk?

Norfolk is 7 feet (2 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 Norfolk?

Latitude 36.84682 and longitude -76.28522, in decimal degrees (36° 50′ 49″ N · 76° 17′ 7″ W). In UTM, zone 18: 385,415 E and 4,078,650 N, on NAD83.

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

It’s the 6th 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 Norfolk in?

Norfolk city, Virginia.

Which is higher, Norfolk or Richmond?

Richmond. Norfolk sits at 7 ft and Richmond at 213 ft: a difference of 206 ft, 81 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