How we measure your elevation
The page can show two values, and it helps to know what each one measures:
- Ground elevation. The height of the ground at your position according to a digital terrain model of the Earth with a grid of about 30 meters. It doesn't depend on the quality of your GPS and is shown in large type at the top.
- Altitude from your GPS. The value your device calculates from the satellites. It only appears on phones and tablets that provide it, together with its margin of error.
Before you allow location access you see the approximate elevation of your area. With your exact location, the value is for the spot where you are standing.
Elevation of any place
To find the elevation of a town, a mountain pass, a peak or your house without being there, type the name or address into the search box, or zoom in on the map and tap the spot. The value is for the ground at exactly that point; on a slope it changes from one street to the next.
How accurate is the result?
On flat land the two values usually differ by only a few meters. In mountains, a canyon or on a cliff coast, the terrain model averages over each grid cell and can be further off. GPS is less accurate vertically than horizontally: the height error is typically one and a half to three times the position error. In a tall building, the ground elevation is for the street, not for your floor.
Elevation of some cities
| City | Meters | Feet |
|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg | 1,753 | 5,751 |
| Denver | 1,609 | 5,280 |
| Salt Lake City | 1,288 | 4,226 |
| Bengaluru | 920 | 3,018 |
| Atlanta | 320 | 1,050 |
| Delhi | 216 | 709 |
| Mumbai | 14 | 46 |
| London | 11 | 36 |
| New York City | 10 | 33 |
These are approximate values for each city center; elevation can vary a lot within a city.
What your elevation is useful for
- Health at altitude. Above about 2,500 meters (8,000 feet) some people get headaches, tiredness or shortness of breath. Knowing your elevation helps you plan time to adjust.
- Hiking and cycling. To check elevation gain or confirm that you have reached a pass or summit.
- Cooking and baking. Water boils at a lower temperature the higher you are, roughly 1 °F lower for every 500 feet, and many baking recipes need adjusting above about 3,000 feet (900 meters).
- Flood awareness. Flood maps are drawn in elevation above sea level, so the ground elevation gives you a first idea of how high a place sits. It is not a substitute for an official flood zone check.
- Gardening and sports. Temperature, growing season and physical performance all change with elevation.
To note the exact point together with its elevation, also copy your GPS coordinates. The full map is on my current location.
Questions about elevation
How do I find my elevation?
When it opens, the page shows the approximate elevation of your area. Tap “Show my exact location” to get the elevation of the spot where you are standing, in meters and feet.
How do I find the elevation of my house or another place?
Type the address or place name into the search box, or tap the spot on the map. The ground elevation of that point appears in large type, in meters and feet.
Can I see my elevation on Google Maps?
Not directly. Google Maps doesn't show the elevation of a point you tap; the Terrain layer only shows contour lines, and walking or cycling directions show the climb along a route. Google Earth shows the elevation under the cursor. This page gives you the number straight away, for your location or any point you tap on the map.
Why are two different elevations shown?
One is the ground elevation from a terrain model. The other is calculated by your device's GPS; it also includes how high you are above the ground, for example on an upper floor, and it is less accurate.
How accurate is the elevation?
On flat land the ground elevation is usually right to within 5 to 10 meters, a little less on steep slopes. A phone's GPS altitude can vary by 10 to 20 meters from one reading to the next.
What is the difference between elevation and altitude?
Elevation usually means the height of the ground above sea level; altitude is the height of something above sea level, such as an aircraft or your phone on the tenth floor. This page shows both: the ground elevation from the terrain model and the altitude your GPS reports.
How do I convert meters to feet?
Multiply the meters by 3.281. So 1,000 meters is about 3,281 feet. To go back, multiply feet by 0.3048. The page shows both units.