Research Triangle topographic map

Wilmington sits near the southeastern coast and has a low-lying, relatively flat topography with an average elevation around 36 feet above sea level. The terrain is characterized by coastal plains with minimal elevation changes, making the landscape generally flat as it gently slopes toward the Atlantic Ocean.…

Average elevation: 23 ft

Asheville, located in Buncombe County, North Carolina, is characterized by a diverse and picturesque topography primarily shaped by its position within the Blue Ridge Mountains. The city itself sits at an elevation of approximately 2,200 feet, surrounded by peaks that rise significantly higher, such as Mount…

Average elevation: 2,385 ft

Raleigh features a topography primarily defined by its position along the fall line, which is the geological boundary between the Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions. This area experiences a gradual elevation drop of approximately 150 to 350 feet over a distance of 1 to 3 miles as one moves eastward. The city's…

Average elevation: 338 ft

Asheville has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa), resembling the rest of the Piedmont region of the southeastern U.S., but with noticeably cooler temperatures due to the higher elevation; it is part of USDA Hardiness zone 7a. The area's summers in particular, though warm, are not as hot as summers in…

Average elevation: 2,385 ft

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 308.6 square miles (799 km2), of which 306.6 square miles (794 km2) is land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km2) is water. Charlotte is the twenty-sixth-most expansive city in the United States and lies at an elevation of 751 feet (229 m).…

Average elevation: 679 ft

Franklin County exhibits a diverse topography characterized primarily by gently rolling hills and low-lying areas interspersed with valleys and water bodies. The county's elevation varies, with the highest points reaching approximately 600 feet above sea level, while much of the landscape sits around 300 to…

Average elevation: 302 ft

Average elevation: 2,195 ft

Murphy has a humid subtropical climate, (Cfa) according to the Köppen classification, with hot, humid summers and cool to mild winters, with low temperatures significantly cooler than other parts of the Southeast, due in part to the elevation. Like the rest of the southeastern U.S., Murphy receives abundant…

Average elevation: 1,690 ft

Average elevation: 771 ft

Avery County showcases a strikingly rugged topography characterized by its placement within the Appalachian Mountains. This mountainous terrain features elevations averaging about 3,500 feet, making it one of the highest counties east of the Mississippi River. The highest peak in the county is Grassy Ridge…

Average elevation: 3,301 ft

Greensboro is characterized by a gently rolling topography, typical of the Piedmont region. The city sits at an elevation of approximately 790 feet (241 meters) above sea level, with its terrain featuring a mix of low hills and valleys that create a varied landscape. The area is bisected by several waterways,…

Average elevation: 794 ft

Average elevation: 735 ft

Average elevation: 4,091 ft

Average elevation: 2,572 ft

Average elevation: 420 ft

Charlotte, located in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, features a gently rolling terrain characterized by elevations ranging from approximately 650 to 700 feet (198 to 213 meters). The city is bordered to the west by the Catawba River, which contributes to the area's mild climate and lush vegetation.…

Average elevation: 679 ft

Average elevation: 325 ft

Average elevation: 52 ft

Average elevation: 66 ft

Wilkes County is located on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a part of the Appalachian Mountains chain. The county's elevation ranges from 900 feet (375 meters) in the east to over 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) in the west. The Blue Ridge Mountains run from the southwest to the northeast, and…

Average elevation: 1,683 ft

Cary is seated on the boundary between the Durham Basin with its softer sedimentary rocks and the piedmont with its harder metamorphic rocks; both geologic provinces have igneous rock intrusions. The landscape is typically gentle to moderate sloping hills separated by narrow V-shaped valleys, but there are…

Average elevation: 364 ft

Ocean Isle Beach is a picturesque barrier island characterized by its low-lying terrain and sandy shorelines. The topography features an average elevation of about 3 feet (1 meter) above sea level, with the landscape gently sloping towards the Atlantic Ocean. The island spans approximately 7 miles in length…

Average elevation: 13 ft

Blowing Rock is characterized by its rugged and varied topography, nestled within the southern reaches of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The town itself is situated on a prominent ridge, with elevations ranging from approximately 3,300 to 3,600 feet, creating dramatic landscapes that feature steep slopes, rocky…

Average elevation: 3,386 ft

Boone is located at 36°12′41″N 81°40′7″W / 36.21139°N 81.66861°W / 36.21139; -81.66861 (36.211364, −81.668657) and has an elevation of 3,333 feet (1015.9 m) above sea level. An earlier survey gave the elevation as 3,332 ft and since then it has been published as having an elevation of…

Average elevation: 3,507 ft

Average elevation: 20 ft

Average elevation: 1,555 ft

Beech Mountain is a town in both Avery and Watauga counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 320. The town is located atop Beech Mountain and is the highest town east of the Rocky Mountains at 5,506 ft (1,678 m) in elevation. The nearest municipality at a…

Average elevation: 4,157 ft

Average elevation: 689 ft

West Jefferson is a popular destination among tourists and retirees from Florida, as well as those from the lower elevations of the Carolinas and Georgia.

Average elevation: 3,287 ft

The terrain varies in elevation from 5,800 feet (1,767.8 m) at Lone Bald in Jackson County, to 1,200 feet (365.8 m) in Cherokee County along the Hiwassee River below the Appalachia Dam. It is the home of many western NC waterfalls. The last part of the Mountain Waters Scenic Byway travels through this forest.…

Average elevation: 2,562 ft

Average elevation: 902 ft

New Bern exhibits a predominantly flat terrain characterized by low-lying areas near its coastal rivers. The city is strategically positioned at the confluence of the Neuse and Trent rivers, where the elevation averages around 10 to 20 feet (3 to 6 meters) above sea level​. This coastal setting contributes…

Average elevation: 16 ft

Boone, located in Watauga County, North Carolina, is set within the rugged Appalachian Mountains, specifically the Blue Ridge range. With an elevation of approximately 3,300 feet (1,016 meters), it stands as one of the highest towns of its size in the eastern United States. The terrain is dominated by steep…

Average elevation: 3,507 ft

Average elevation: 636 ft

Average elevation: 256 ft

Average elevation: 39 ft

Average elevation: 20 ft

Average elevation: 30 ft

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 302 square miles (780 km2), of which 292 square miles (760 km2) is land and 9.6 square miles (25 km2) (3.2%) is water. The terrain of the county is mountainous, with elevations ranging from 1,177 feet (359 m) to 5,560 feet (1,690 m).…

Average elevation: 2,789 ft

Average elevation: 1,496 ft

Average elevation: 3,212 ft

Average elevation: 1,608 ft

Most of the town of Waynesville lies between 2,600 and 3,000 feet (790 and 910 m) above sea level, in a valley among 5,000-to-6,410-foot (1,520 to 1,950 m) mountain peaks. With the high Great Balsam Mountains to the west-southwest, and the Plott Balsams to the west-northwest, a handful of peaks over 6000' in…

Average elevation: 3,022 ft

Average elevation: 892 ft

Average elevation: 1,165 ft

Average elevation: 210 ft

The parkway has been the most visited unit of the National Park System every year since 1946 except four (1949, 2013, 2016 and 2019). Land on either side of the road is owned and maintained by the National Park Service, and in many places parkway land is bordered by United States Forest Service property. There…

Average elevation: 1,654 ft

Average elevation: 154 ft

Average elevation: 453 ft

Franklin is characterized by its mountainous terrain, lying within the picturesque Appalachian Mountains. The area features rugged landscapes with elevations typically ranging from around 2,000 to 4,000 feet, creating dramatic vistas and deep valleys. The Little Tennessee River winds through the region, adding…

Average elevation: 2,215 ft

The parkway has been the most visited unit of the National Park System every year since 1946 except four (1949, 2013, 2016 and 2019).[4][5] Land on either side of the road is owned and maintained by the National Park Service, and in many places parkway land is bordered by United States Forest Service property.…

Average elevation: 1,654 ft

Average elevation: 377 ft

Carolina Beach is characterized by its relatively flat topography, with elevations averaging around 13 feet above sea level. This coastal town is part of Pleasure Island and features a blend of sandy beaches and salt marshes. The surrounding area includes Carolina Beach State Park, which hosts diverse…

Average elevation: 7 ft

Average elevation: 413 ft

Average elevation: 16 ft

Average elevation: 2,303 ft

Average elevation: 26 ft

Average elevation: 413 ft

Average elevation: 2,753 ft

Watauga County is extremely mountainous, and all of the county's terrain is located within the Appalachian Mountains range. The highest point in the county is Calloway Peak, the highest peak of Grandfather Mountain (shared with the adjacent counties of Avery and Caldwell), which rises to 5,964 feet (1,818…

Average elevation: 3,228 ft

Wake County is located in the northeast central region of North Carolina, where the North American Piedmont and Atlantic Coastal Plain regions meet. This area is known as the "fall line" because it marks the elevation inland at which waterfalls begin to appear in creeks and rivers. As a result, most of Wake…

Average elevation: 315 ft

Average elevation: 561 ft

The county is located in far Western North Carolina in the Great Smoky Mountains. It holds more of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park than any other county in North Carolina or Tennessee. The highest point in the county is Clingmans Dome, elevation 6,643 feet, located on the NC/TN border. Clingman's is…

Average elevation: 2,930 ft

Statesville has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) like most of the state of North Carolina, although its higher elevation leads to cooler temperatures than much of the Piedmont. Summers are generally hot and humid, with mild nights, while winters are usually cool with chilly nights and sporadic snowfall.…

Average elevation: 883 ft

Average elevation: 128 ft

Average elevation: 525 ft

Average elevation: 387 ft

Average elevation: 1,043 ft

Average elevation: 167 ft

Average elevation: 194 ft

Average elevation: 564 ft

Mitchell County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,903. Its county seat is Bakersville, population 439 (2022), elevation 2470 ft.

Average elevation: 3,235 ft

Cullasaja Falls is a waterfall in Southwestern North Carolina east of Franklin. The waterfall is located on the Cullasaja River in the Nantahala National Forest and is part of the Mountain Waters Scenic Byway. Cullasaja comes from a Cherokee word meaning "honey locust place." The falls is the last major…

Average elevation: 2,966 ft

Alexander County is located within the Foothills region of western North Carolina. The county's main geographic feature is the Brushy Mountains, a deeply eroded spur of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the west. The "Brushies," as they are called locally, rise from 300 to 1,000 feet (300 m) above the surrounding…

Average elevation: 1,194 ft

Average elevation: 712 ft

Average elevation: 203 ft

Average elevation: 246 ft

Average elevation: 302 ft

Average elevation: 420 ft

Average elevation: 965 ft

Average elevation: 16 ft

Average elevation: 3 ft

Davidson County is located entirely within the Piedmont region of central North Carolina. The Piedmont consists of gently rolling terrain frequently broken by hills or shallow valleys formed by rivers and streams. An exception to this terrain are the Uwharrie Mountains in the county's western and southwestern…

Average elevation: 728 ft

Average elevation: 2,894 ft

Most of the town of Waynesville lies between 2,600 and 3,000 feet (790 and 910 m) above sea level, in a valley among 5,000-to-6,410-foot (1,520 to 1,950 m) mountain peaks. With the high Great Balsam Mountains to the west-southwest, and the Plott Balsams to the west-northwest, a handful of peaks over 6000' in…

Average elevation: 3,022 ft

Average elevation: 3 ft

Banner Elk is nestled within the Blue Ridge Mountains, characterized by rugged and varied terrain. The town itself sits at an elevation of around 3,700 feet, offering expansive views of the surrounding peaks and valleys. This region, part of the southern Appalachian range, includes steep slopes, dense forests,…

Average elevation: 3,822 ft

Average elevation: 456 ft

Average elevation: 906 ft

Average elevation: 13 ft

Transylvania County is known as the "Land of Waterfalls", due to it having over 250 waterfalls. This is due to a combination of its high precipitation and location on the Blue Ridge Escarpment. Notable waterfalls in the county include Looking Glass Falls, Moore Cove Falls, Rainbow Falls, and Whitewater Falls,…

Average elevation: 2,946 ft

Average elevation: 3 ft

Average elevation: 784 ft

Crowders Mountain State Park is the largest natural heritage site in the county. It covers over 3,000 acres (12 km2) of topographically, botanically, and zoologically diverse land. Six natural plant communities are found in the park, and the area supports a diversity of wildlife species. Some animals…

Average elevation: 774 ft

Cabarrus County is situated in the gently rolling countryside of the Carolina Piedmont There are no significantly high peaks or points, although the eastern half of the county contains the westernmost foothills of the Uwharrie Mountains. Altitude ranges from approximately 500–800 feet above sea level. No…

Average elevation: 663 ft

Average elevation: 36 ft

Average elevation: 417 ft

Average elevation: 1,132 ft

Average elevation: 26 ft

Average elevation: 682 ft