DENVER (KDVR) — The Mile High City is known for its high elevation, dry skin, sunburns and dehydration. But compared to the rest of the U.S., a mile isn’t all that high. In fact, Denver is not even in the top 100 highest-elevation cities in the U.S.
Most of the highest-elevation cities in the U.S. are mountain towns in Colorado.
Out of the top 100 cities with the highest elevation in the U.S., only 21 are outside of Colorado. Denver doesn’t even make the list.
If you are out of breath in Denver, imagine living in these places in Colorado.
Top 10 highest-elevation cities in the US
- Alma, Colorado (10,353 feet)
- Leadville North, Colorado (10,152 feet)
- Leadville, Colorado (10,152 feet)
- Blue River, Colorado (10,020 feet)
- Blue Sky, Colorado (10,020 feet)
- Mount Crested Butte, Colorado (9,960 feet)
- Fairplay, Colorado (9,950 feet)
- Copper Mountain, Colorado (9,720 feet)
- Victor, Colorado (9,695 feet)
- Breckenridge, Colorado (9,602 feet)
Compared to mountain towns, it is not surprising Denver is on the lower side. Compared to other major metropolitan cities, Denver is one of the highest.
The highest points in 10 major cities in the U.S.
- Albuquerque, New Mexico (6,120 feet)
- Denver, Colorado (5,470 feet)
- Los Angeles, California (5,074 feet)
- Honolulu, Hawaii (4,020 feet)
- Tucson, Arizona (2,950 feet)
- San Jose, California (2,125 feet)
- Oakland, California (1,754 feet)
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1,370 feet)
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (1,334 feet)
- Omaha, Nebraska (1,272 feet)
Denver has a higher high point than most cities. The U.S. has an average elevation of 2,500 feet. But compared to the cities with the highest elevation in the U.S., the elevation in Denver isn’t outstanding.
While Denver has a high elevation, it doesn’t come close to the highest city, metropolitan or not. It’s known as the Mile High City because it’s the closest city to a mile high, and exactly a mile high in some places around Denver.
