Research Triangle topographic map

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

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, 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

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

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: 420 ft

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

Average elevation: 413 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

Average elevation: 3,123 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

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

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

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

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

Average elevation: 1,132 ft

Average elevation: 3,560 ft

Average elevation: 988 ft

Average elevation: 154 ft

Average elevation: 2,572 ft

Average elevation: 892 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

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

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

Average elevation: 417 ft

Average elevation: 30 ft

Average elevation: 453 ft

Average elevation: 548 ft

Average elevation: 3,212 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

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

The elevation of the town is 1,067 feet (325 m) above sea level. The town's original boundary was established as a circle with a radius of three quarters of a mile. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.8 square miles (4.7 km2), all land.

Average elevation: 1,093 ft

Average elevation: 2,228 ft

Average elevation: 827 ft

Average elevation: 1,942 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: 961 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

Average elevation: 564 ft

Average elevation: 354 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

Average elevation: 1,608 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

Average elevation: 2,930 ft

Average elevation: 3 ft

Murphy is located in southwestern North Carolina, approximately halfway between Atlanta, Georgia and Knoxville, Tennessee. The topography consists of gentle rolling hills and mountains with tall peaks, including ranges from 1800 ft to more than 5000 ft elevation. The location in the Blue Ridge Mountains has…

Average elevation: 1,686 ft

Average elevation: 2,877 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: 256 ft

Average elevation: 525 ft

Average elevation: 387 ft

Average elevation: 20 ft

Average elevation: 3 ft

Average elevation: 16 ft

Archaeological excavations performed by Dr. David Moore during the early 1980s, revealed artifacts and other evidence that the earliest inhabitants of McDowell County lived there from the Woodland period and Mississippian culture era, from 250 to 1500 AD. Dr. Moore discovered this material in an area close to…

Average elevation: 2,238 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

Average elevation: 1,450 ft

Average elevation: 16 ft

Average elevation: 732 ft

Average elevation: 46 ft

Average elevation: 413 ft

Average elevation: 863 ft

Average elevation: 420 ft

Average elevation: 965 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: 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: 2,303 ft

Average elevation: 26 ft

Average elevation: 2,195 ft

Average elevation: 4,091 ft

Average elevation: 2,753 ft

Average elevation: 771 ft

Average elevation: 636 ft

Average elevation: 906 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: 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

Average elevation: 561 ft

Average elevation: 36 ft

Average elevation: 26 ft

Average elevation: 682 ft

Average elevation: 581 ft

Average elevation: 748 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

Nash County rests in the northeastern part of North Carolina along the dividing line between the Peidmont and Coastal Plain regions. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 542.82 square miles (1,405.9 km2), of which 540.44 square miles (1,399.7 km2) is land and 2.38 square miles…

Average elevation: 194 ft

Haywood County is situated amidst the Blue Ridge Mountains and contains parts of several major subranges of the Blue Ridge, namely the Great Smoky Mountains in the west and the Plott Balsams and Great Balsam Mountains in the south. Notable peaks in the county include Cold Mountain, at 6,030 feet (1,840 m),…

Average elevation: 3,425 ft

Average elevation: 39 ft

The county was formed in 1872 from parts of Beaufort and Craven counties. It was named for Pamlico Sound, which adjoins it. Vernacular usage in the area, especially in Craven County, refers to Pamlico County as being "down in the county." Prior to 1872, it was a part of Craven County and has a very low…

Average elevation: 16 ft

Average elevation: 128 ft

Average elevation: 1,293 ft

Average elevation: 26 ft

Average elevation: 118 ft

Average elevation: 7 ft

Average elevation: 3,176 ft

Average elevation: 66 ft

Wake Forest 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. Its central Piedmont…

Average elevation: 344 ft