Schenectady County topographic map

New York City's topography is a fascinating blend of varied elevations and unique landscapes, reflecting its diverse geography across five boroughs. Situated at the confluence of the Hudson and East Rivers, the city primarily features low-lying terrain, with the average elevation hovering around sea level.…

Average elevation: 62 ft

Manhattan, a densely populated urban island, has a diverse topography characterized by its generally flat terrain interspersed with elevated areas. The average elevation is about 50 feet (15 meters) above sea level, with its highest point reaching approximately 265 feet (81 meters) at Bennett Park in…

Average elevation: 52 ft

Buffalo is characterized by its relatively flat terrain, predominantly lying on the Erie/Ontario Lake Plain, which forms part of the Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands. The city's elevation averages around 607 feet above sea level, with minor variations, particularly in neighborhoods like University Heights, which…

Average elevation: 607 ft

The land to the south of this moraine to the South Shore is the outwash plain of the last glacier. One part of the outwash plain was known as the Hempstead Plains, and this land contained one of the few natural prairies to exist east of the Appalachian Mountains. The glaciers melted and receded to the north,…

Average elevation: 138 ft

The source of the Hudson River is Lake Tear of the Clouds in the Adirondack Park at an elevation of 4,322 feet (1,317 m). However, the river is not cartographically called the Hudson River until miles downstream. The river is named Feldspar Brook until its confluence with the Opalescent River, and then is…

Average elevation: 974 ft

Average elevation: 30 ft

Average elevation: 784 ft

Average elevation: 1,125 ft

Average elevation: 528 ft

Marble Hill is one example of how Manhattan's land has been considerably altered by human intervention. The borough has seen substantial land reclamation along its waterfronts since Dutch colonial times, and much of the natural variation in its topography has been evened out.

Average elevation: 56 ft

Average elevation: 643 ft

Average elevation: 2,034 ft

Average elevation: 1,168 ft

Adirondack Park, covering over six million acres, features a diverse topography characterized by rugged mountains, extensive forests, and numerous waterways. The park is dominated by the Adirondack Mountains, which contain 46 peaks exceeding 4,000 feet, with Mount Marcy standing at 5,343 feet as the highest…

Average elevation: 1,217 ft

Average elevation: 554 ft

Average elevation: 636 ft

Although Staten Island is a borough of New York City, the island is topographically and geologically a part of New Jersey. Staten Island is separated from Long Island by the Narrows and from mainland New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull. Staten Island is positioned at the center of New York…

Average elevation: 30 ft

Average elevation: 587 ft

Ithaca is characterized by a diverse topography that significantly influences its natural environment and urban layout. Nestled at the southern tip of Cayuga Lake, the city features a floodplain area with an average elevation around 636 feet (194 meters) above sea level, though it rises to approximately 1,214…

Average elevation: 640 ft

Cortland County features a varied topography characteristic of the glaciated Appalachian Plateau region. The landscape is primarily rural, with elevations ranging from approximately 850 to 2,100 feet above sea level. The terrain includes rolling hills, steep ridges, and valleys shaped by glacial activity,…

Average elevation: 1,486 ft

Watertown is around 60 miles (97 kilometers) northwest of Syracuse, 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of the Thousand Islands and 328 miles (530 kilometers) northwest of New York City. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.3 square miles (24 km2), of which 9.0 square miles…

Average elevation: 643 ft

Many of the village street grids of Queens had only worded names, some were numbered according to local numbering schemes, and some had a mix of words and numbers. In the early 1920s, a "Philadelphia Plan" was instituted to overlay one numbered system upon the whole borough. The Topographical Bureau, Borough…

Average elevation: 36 ft

Average elevation: 883 ft

Skaneateles Lake (/ˌskæniˈætləs/ SKAN-ee-AT-ləs, locally /ˌskɪn-/ SKIN-) is one of the Finger Lakes in central New York in the United States. The name Skaneateles means long lake in one of the local Iroquoian languages. The lake is sometimes referred to as "The Roof Garden of the Lakes" because its…

Average elevation: 1,145 ft

Saratoga County is situated in the eastern portion of New York State, north of the state capital city of Albany, northwest of Troy, and east of Utica. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 844 square miles (2,190 km2), of which 810 square miles (2,100 km2) are land and 34 square…

Average elevation: 715 ft

Average elevation: 85 ft

Average elevation: 1,427 ft

Average elevation: 1,591 ft

The northern border of the county is Tonawanda Creek. Part of the southern border is Cattaraugus Creek. Other major streams include Buffalo Creek (Buffalo River), Cayuga Creek, Cazenovia Creek, Scajaquada Creek, Eighteen Mile Creek and Ellicott Creek. The county's northern half, including Buffalo and its…

Average elevation: 938 ft

Average elevation: 30 ft

Average elevation: 249 ft

Average elevation: 272 ft

Average elevation: 190 ft

Average elevation: 171 ft

Average elevation: 564 ft

Monroe County features a diverse topography characterized by rolling hills, flat plains, and numerous water bodies, including Lake Ontario to the north. The terrain rises gently from the shores of the lake, with elevations reaching approximately 800 feet (244 meters) in the southern regions, particularly near…

Average elevation: 400 ft

Average elevation: 955 ft

Average elevation: 328 ft

Average elevation: 39 ft

The western edge of the city is flat along the river, and then steeply slopes to higher terrain to the east. The average elevation is 50 feet, with the highest elevation being 500 feet in the eastern part of the city. The city is longer than it is wide, with the southern part wider than the northern section of…

Average elevation: 449 ft