The Top 10 U.S. Capital Cities at the Lowest Elevation

The various states in the United States of America have greatly different elevations. Some of them are miles high while others are very low. Today, we are going to examine 10 U.S. capital cities at the lowest elevation. We’ll show you the state’s capital city, where the city is located in the state, and more. Get ready to see the stark contrast between the highest capital city elevations and the lowest.  

10. Augusta, Maine

Augusta is the capital of Maine. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the city has an elevation of 121 feet. Meanwhile, the highest point in the state is Mount Katahdin, and it measures 5,269 feet above sea level. The city is located in southern Maine, and it has a population of roughly 19,000 people. The Kennebec River runs through the city.  

9. Trenton, New Jersey

Trenton is the capital city of New Jersey, and it is one of the capital cities at the lowest elevation in the United States. Unlike Maine, New Jersey’s capital has an elevation of under 100 feet. Trenton is located in the western central part of the state along the Delaware River, a body of water that forms a border with Pennsylvania. The population in this city is roughly 90,000 people.  

8. Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Louisiana’s capital city is called Baton Rouge. This city is in the southeastern part of the state on the eastern banks of the Mississippi River. Baton Rouge’s elevation is a mere 56 feet above sea level, just a few feet lower than Trenton, New Jersey. The population in this city is about 227,000 people, making it one of the most highly populated cities on this list.

7. Annapolis, Maryland

Annapolis, Maryland is located along the shores of Chesapeake Bay. The city’s elevation is only 43 feet above sea level, making it one of the capital cities at the lowest elevation in the United States. The population of this city is about 41,000 people. The city itself was named after Queen Anne of Great Britain.  

6. Juneau, Alaska

Juneau, Alaska has an elevation of 33 feet above sea level, according to the USGS. The city is in the southeastern part of the state, called the Alaska Panhandle. Juneau is the second-largest city in the country by area alone. The population in this city is roughly 32,000.

5. Hartford, Connecticut

Connecticut’s capital city is called Hartford. The United States Geological Survey says that Hartford, Connecticut has an elevation of just 30 feet. That means it is tied with Dover in terms of overall elevation. This city is in central Connecticut alongside the Connecticut River. Meanwhile, the population in Hartford is about 120,000 people.

4. Dover, Delaware

Delaware’s capital city is called Dover. This city is situated in the central-eastern part of the state, not far from Delaware Bay. The city’s elevation is 30 feet, the same as Hartford, Connecticut. Meanwhile, the population in this city is about 39,000. That makes Dover the city with the second-highest population in the First State.  

3. Sacramento, California

The capital of California, Sacramento, has an elevation of 26 feet. This city is in the central part of the state, and it is the meeting place of the American River and the Sacramento River. The population in this city is 525,000 people. Not only is it one of the capital cities at the lowest elevation in the country, but it is also one of the most populous on our list.

2. Honolulu, Hawaii

The capital of Hawaii is called Honolulu. This city is in the southeastern part of Oahu. The elevation of this city is just 16 feet. Moreover, the population of this city is about 350,000 people. The city has been the capital of the state since 1850.   

1. Providence, Rhode Island

The leader of the capital cities at the lowest elevation in the United States is Providence, Rhode Island. This city’s elevation is just 10 feet above sea level! The city is in northeastern Rhode Island, along the Providence River. The population is about 191,000 people, a fairly high population for such a small state.

All in all, a great disparity exists between the capitals with the highest elevations versus the lowest elevations. Santa Fe, the capital city with the highest elevation, is 10,578 feet above sea level. That makes it 10,568 feet higher in elevation than Providence, the capital city with the lowest elevation.

Summary of the U.S. Capitals at the Lowest Elevation

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Jon Bilous/Shutterstock.com