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Elevation

Elevation of Tempe

1,181ft

above sea level · 360 m

Tempe is a city in Arizona with 190,571 people, the 9th most populous in the state. Of the 249 US cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people, it’s the 45th highest.

By the All Map Tools Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates
33.41° N · 111.91° W
In degrees, minutes and seconds: 33° 24′ 53″ N · 111° 54′ 34″ W
UTM coordinates
12S · 415,454 E · 3,697,639 N
Zone 12 · NAD83, the official US datum
County
Maricopa County
Where the city’s reference point falls
State
Arizona
AZ · capital: Phoenix
Time zone
Mountain Standard Time (no DST)
UTC−7 all year: no daylight saving time
Population (2025)
190,571 people
40.0 sq mi of land · 4,768 people/sq mi
Elevation model
USGS 3DEP, 1 m grid
Lidar from November 2021: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

Tempe had 190,571 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 3.5% more than in April 2020, when it had 184,210. Its 40.0 sq mi of land work out to 4,768 people/sq mi; the state average is 67 people/sq mi.

It’s the 9th most populous of the 467 places the Census counts in Arizona (cities, towns and CDPs), after Phoenix (1,665,481), and holds 2.5% of the state’s population.

It lies entirely within Maricopa County. Its reference point in the USGS gazetteer is 2.2 mi from the geographic center the Census gives for the city.

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

Tempe sits at 1,181 ft (360 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: Tempe is 319 ft above it.

The state capital, Phoenix, is 9.8 mi away in a straight line and 93 ft lower than Tempe.

The nearest city with more than 250,000 people is Mesa, 5.0 mi away in a straight line and 61 ft higher.

Of the 14 cities in Arizona with a page, Tempe is the 6th highest: the highest is Tucson (2,481 ft) and the lowest is Yuma (141 ft).

The highest point in Arizona is Humphreys Peak, at 12,633 ft according to the USGS: 11,452 ft above Tempe, 134 mi away in a straight line.

  1. 43 Rancho Cucamonga 1,209 ft
  2. 44 Edmond 1,204 ft
  3. 45 Tempe 1,181 ft
  4. 46 Norman 1,174 ft
  5. 47 Surprise 1,174 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 Tempe and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Tempe with any other point on the map. Map of Maricopa County The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Tempe 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 Arizona counties Print it blank, with names or to color in.

Step-by-step guide How to find the elevation of any place

Frequently asked questions

What people most often ask about the elevation of Tempe.

What is the elevation of Tempe?

Tempe is 1,181 feet (360 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 Tempe?

Latitude 33.41477 and longitude -111.90931, in decimal degrees (33° 24′ 53″ N · 111° 54′ 34″ W). In UTM, zone 12: 415,454 E and 3,697,639 N, on NAD83.

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

It’s the 45th highest 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 Tempe in?

Maricopa County, Arizona.

Which is higher, Tempe or Phoenix?

Tempe. Tempe sits at 1,181 ft and Phoenix at 1,088 ft: a difference of 93 ft, 9.8 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