Transylvania County topographic map

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

The Appalachian Mountains (French: Appalaches), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They once reached elevations similar to those of the Alps and the Rocky…

Average elevation: 4,800 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

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: 5,495 ft

Average elevation: 13 ft

Average elevation: 210 ft

Average elevation: 1,942 ft

Durham is located in the east-central part of the Piedmont region at 35°59′19″N 78°54′26″W / 35.98861°N 78.90722°W / 35.98861; -78.90722 (35.988644, −78.907167). Like much of the region, its topography is generally flat with some rolling hills.

Average elevation: 384 ft

Average elevation: 20 ft

Average elevation: 856 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

Due to its geographic setting along the Eastern Continental Divide and its extreme topographic variation, Henderson County presents a wide variation in temperature and precipitation conditions. The highest elevations occur along the northwest and northern boundaries of the county and within the Blue Ridge…

Average elevation: 2,306 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

Average elevation: 863 ft

Average elevation: 7 ft

Average elevation: 305 ft

Average elevation: 564 ft

Average elevation: 2,100 ft

Average elevation: 3,271 ft

Average elevation: 2,195 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

Average elevation: 988 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

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

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: 4,091 ft

Average elevation: 2,195 ft

Average elevation: 26 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

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

Average elevation: 413 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

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: 2,631 ft

Lake Norman and the surrounding shoreline serve as a habitat for a diverse array of plants and wildlife, as well as a place for a myriad of human activities. Maintaining this habitat to simultaneously preserve endangered species, keep invasive species at bay, and maintain health and safety standards for the…

Average elevation: 833 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

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). 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: 3,560 ft

Average elevation: 2,710 ft

Average elevation: 2,228 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: 0 ft

The Pisgah National Forest covers 512,758 acres (801 sq mi; 2,075 km2) of mountainous terrain in the southern Appalachian Mountains, including parts of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Great Balsam Mountains. Elevations reach over 6,000 feet (1,800 m) and include some of the highest mountains in the eastern United…

Average elevation: 2,467 ft

At an elevation of 3,621 feet or 1,104 metres, it is the highest county seat in the Eastern United States (based on elevations in the USGS database).

Average elevation: 3,740 ft

Average elevation: 2,877 ft

Average elevation: 2,572 ft

Average elevation: 1,135 ft

Average elevation: 614 ft

Average elevation: 682 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

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

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: 3 ft

Average elevation: 2,356 ft

Average elevation: 548 ft

Average elevation: 3,091 ft

Average elevation: 2,185 ft

Average elevation: 46 ft

Average elevation: 827 ft

Average elevation: 1,132 ft

Average elevation: 52 ft

Average elevation: 1,106 ft

Average elevation: 13 ft

Highlands was founded in 1875 after its two founders, Samuel Truman Kelsey and Clinton Carter Hutchinson, drew lines from Chicago to Savannah and from New Orleans to New York City. They felt that the place where these lines met would eventually become a great trading center and commercial crossroads. Highlands…

Average elevation: 3,661 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: 2,434 ft

Average elevation: 453 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

Average elevation: 256 ft

Average elevation: 1,165 ft

Average elevation: 636 ft

Average elevation: 574 ft

Average elevation: 30 ft

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2), all land. The town has an elevation of 2,330 feet (710 m), so the climate of the area is considerably cooler than might be expected of a town in a southern state.

Average elevation: 2,323 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: 2,274 ft

Average elevation: 535 ft

Average elevation: 1,759 ft

Average elevation: 2,930 ft

Average elevation: 16 ft

Average elevation: 1,608 ft

Average elevation: 1,342 ft

Average elevation: 2,270 ft

Average elevation: 3 ft

Average elevation: 20 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: 0 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: 2,753 ft

Average elevation: 741 ft

Fuquay-Varina 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: 371 ft

Average elevation: 2,493 ft

Average elevation: 2,303 ft

Average elevation: 489 ft

Average elevation: 20 ft

Average elevation: 253 ft

Average elevation: 456 ft

Average elevation: 10 ft