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Elevation

Elevation of Milwaukee

615ft

above sea level · 187 m

Milwaukee is a city in Wisconsin with 562,407 people, the most populous in the state. Of the 91 US cities with more than 250,000 people, it’s the 40th highest.

By the Mapsfera Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates
43.04° N · 87.91° W
In degrees, minutes and seconds: 43° 2′ 20″ N · 87° 54′ 23″ W
UTM coordinates
16T · 426,161 E · 4,765,534 N
Zone 16 · NAD83, the official US datum
County
Milwaukee County
The city spans 3 counties; its reference point is in this one
State
Wisconsin
WI · capital: Madison
Time zone
Central Time
UTC−6 · UTC−5 in summer (daylight saving time)
Population (2025)
562,407 people
96.2 sq mi of land · 5,848 people/sq mi
Elevation model
USGS 3DEP, 1 m grid
Lidar from January 2015: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

Milwaukee had 562,407 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 2.7% fewer than in April 2020, when it had 577,894. Its 96.2 sq mi of land work out to 5,848 people/sq mi; the state average is 110 people/sq mi.

It’s the most populous of the 808 places the Census counts in Wisconsin (cities, towns and CDPs), and holds 9.4% of the state’s population.

The city spreads across 3 counties. By population: Milwaukee County (562,407); no one lives in its part of Washington County and Waukesha County. Its reference point, where we measure the elevation, is in Milwaukee County.

Compared with other big cities

Milwaukee sits at 615 ft (187 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: Milwaukee is 243 ft below it.

The state capital, Madison, is 75 mi away in a straight line and 260 ft higher than Milwaukee.

The highest point in Wisconsin is Timms Hill, at 1,951 ft according to the USGS: 1,336 ft above Milwaukee, 201 mi away in a straight line.

  1. 38 Fort Worth 653 ft
  2. 39 San Antonio 649 ft
  3. 40 Milwaukee 615 ft
  4. 41 Toledo 611 ft
  5. 42 Arlington 603 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 Milwaukee and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Milwaukee with any other point on the map. Map of Milwaukee County The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Milwaukee 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 Wisconsin counties Print it blank, with names or to color in.

Frequently asked questions

What people most often ask about the elevation of Milwaukee.

What is the elevation of Milwaukee?

Milwaukee is 615 feet (187 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 Milwaukee?

Latitude 43.03890 and longitude -87.90647, in decimal degrees (43° 2′ 20″ N · 87° 54′ 23″ W). In UTM, zone 16: 426,161 E and 4,765,534 N, on NAD83.

How does Milwaukee rank among the highest big cities?

It’s the 40th highest 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 Milwaukee in?

Several: Milwaukee County, Washington County, and Waukesha County. Most of its people live in Milwaukee County.

Which is higher, Milwaukee or Madison?

Madison. Milwaukee sits at 615 ft and Madison at 875 ft: a difference of 260 ft, 75 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