Elevation

Elevation of Columbia, South Carolina

299ft

above sea level · 91 m

Columbia is the capital of South Carolina. Of the 50 state capitals, it’s the 20th lowest. The state’s largest city is Charleston.

By the All Map Tools Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates: 34.00° N · 81.03° W; In degrees, minutes and seconds: 34° 0′ 3″ N · 81° 2′ 5″ W
UTM coordinates: 17S · 496,785 E · 3,762,235 N; Zone 17 · NAD83, the official US datum
County: Richland County; The city spans 3 counties; its reference point is in this one
State: South Carolina; SC · capital: Columbia
Time zone: Eastern Time; UTC−5 · UTC−4 in summer (daylight saving time)
Population (2025): 147,035 people; 139 sq mi of land · 1,055 people/sq mi
Elevation model: USGS 3DEP, 1 m grid; Lidar from November 2022: the ground height at the city’s reference point.

Population

Columbia had 147,035 residents on July 1, 2025, according to Census Bureau estimates, 7.5% more than in April 2020, when it had 136,725. Its 139 sq mi of land work out to 1,055 people/sq mi; the state average is 185 people/sq mi.

It’s the 2nd most populous of the 475 places the Census counts in South Carolina (cities, towns and CDPs), after Charleston (159,423), and holds 2.6% of the state’s population.

The city spreads across 3 counties. By population: Richland County (146,401) and Lexington County (634); no one lives in its part of Kershaw County. Its reference point, where we measure the elevation, is in Richland County.

Compared with other state capitals

Columbia sits at 299 ft (91 m) above sea level. Of the 50 state capitals, the highest is Santa Fe (6,997 ft) and the lowest is Providence (9 ft). The average is 1,098 ft: Columbia is 799 ft below it.

Among the 249 cities with 100,000 to 250,000 people, it’s the 110th lowest.

Of the 3 cities in South Carolina with a page, Columbia is the highest. The others are North Charleston (18 ft) and Charleston (10 ft).

The highest point in South Carolina is Sassafras Mountain, at 3,560 ft according to the USGS: 3,261 ft above Columbia, 123 mi away in a straight line.

29 Harrisburg 334 ft
30 Raleigh 315 ft
31 Columbia 299 ft
32 Jackson 279 ft
33 Concord 274 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 Columbia and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Columbia with any other point on the map. Map of Richland County The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Columbia 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 South Carolina 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 Columbia.

What is the elevation of Columbia?

Columbia is 299 feet (91 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 Columbia?

Latitude 34.00071 and longitude -81.03481, in decimal degrees (34° 0′ 3″ N · 81° 2′ 5″ W). In UTM, zone 17: 496,785 E and 3,762,235 N, on NAD83.

How does Columbia rank among the highest state capitals?

It’s the 20th lowest of the 50 state capitals. The highest is Santa Fe (6,997 ft) and the lowest is Providence (9 ft).

What county is Columbia in?

Several: Richland County, Lexington County, and Kershaw County. Most of its people live in Richland County.

Which is higher, Columbia or Augusta?

Columbia. Columbia sits at 299 ft and Augusta at 140 ft: a difference of 159 ft, 65 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.
Terrain Tiles, OpenStreetMap and OpenFreeMap The relief shading and the base map (ODbL).

Methodology and sources · Spotted a mistake? Let us know