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Elevation

Elevation of Virginia Beach

10ft

above sea level · 3 m

Virginia Beach is a city in Virginia with 453,737 people, the most populous in the state. Of the 91 US cities with more than 250,000 people, it’s the 4th lowest.

By the Mapsfera Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates
36.85° N · 75.98° W
In degrees, minutes and seconds: 36° 51′ 11″ N · 75° 58′ 41″ W
UTM coordinates
18S · 412,814 E · 4,079,004 N
Zone 18 · NAD83, the official US datum
County
Virginia Beach 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)
453,737 people
245 sq mi of land · 1,854 people/sq mi
Elevation model
USGS 3DEP, 1 m grid
Lidar from February 2024: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

Virginia Beach had 453,737 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 1.2% fewer than in April 2020, when it had 459,417. Its 245 sq mi of land work out to 1,854 people/sq mi; the state average is 225 people/sq mi.

It’s the most populous of the 684 places the Census counts in Virginia (cities, towns and CDPs), and holds 5.1% of the state’s population.

It lies entirely within Virginia Beach city. Its reference point in the USGS gazetteer is 5.8 mi from the geographic center the Census gives for the city.

Compared with other big cities

Virginia Beach sits at 10 ft (3 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: Virginia Beach is 848 ft below it.

The state capital, Richmond, is 95 mi away in a straight line and 203 ft higher than Virginia Beach.

Of the 3 cities in Virginia with a page, Virginia Beach is the lowest. The others are Richmond (213 ft) and Chesapeake (12 ft).

The highest point in Virginia is Mount Rogers, at 5,729 ft according to the USGS: 5,719 ft above Virginia Beach, 308 mi away in a straight line.

  1. 86 Chesapeake 12 ft
  2. 87 Stockton 12 ft
  3. 88 Virginia Beach 10 ft
  4. 89 Corpus Christi 7 ft
  5. 90 Miami 6 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 Virginia Beach and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Virginia Beach with any other point on the map. Map of Virginia Beach city The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Virginia Beach 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 Virginia Beach.

What is the elevation of Virginia Beach?

Virginia Beach is 10 feet (3 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 Virginia Beach?

Latitude 36.85293 and longitude -75.97799, in decimal degrees (36° 51′ 11″ N · 75° 58′ 41″ W). In UTM, zone 18: 412,814 E and 4,079,004 N, on NAD83.

How does Virginia Beach rank among the highest big cities?

It’s the 4th 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 Virginia Beach in?

Virginia Beach city, Virginia.

Which is higher, Virginia Beach or Richmond?

Richmond. Virginia Beach sits at 10 ft and Richmond at 213 ft: a difference of 203 ft, 95 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