Download DEM Data for North Carolina: A Guide to Digital Elevation Models
Where North Carolina's digital elevation models come from, how to download them, and how to get processed elevation results straight away without GIS software or raw file handling.
Need elevation data without the hassle?
Clip a GeoTIFF of exactly your area, or skip the raster and go straight to contours, profiles or enriched files from the same USGS 3DEP lidar.
Use DEM data now →What is a digital elevation model (DEM)?
A digital elevation model is a regular grid of elevation values. Each cell holds one height, and together the cells describe the shape of the land. DEMs underpin flood modeling, viewsheds, slope analysis and contour generation.
Open one in QGIS or ArcGIS and you see a grayscale image where brighter cells are higher. The resolution is the size of each cell on the ground: a DEM at 3.3 ft per pixel has cells 3.3 ft on a side.
DEMs are usually stored as GeoTIFF or Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF, which carry the coordinate system and extent in the file so GIS software can place the grid correctly on a map.
DEM, DSM and DTM: the differences
DSM
The highest surface at each point: tree crowns, roofs, power lines. On a forested slope in the Blue Ridge a DSM shows the canopy, not the ground under it. It is used for line of sight through trees, shade and roof heights. No DSM is available for North Carolina, so every tool on this site is bare earth.
Digital terrain model (DTM)
The bare ground with vegetation and buildings removed, made by keeping only the lidar returns classified as ground. It is the right model for drainage, slope, contours and earthwork.
DEM as an umbrella term
“DEM” is sometimes used for both and sometimes for the bare-earth model alone. The USGS 3DEP seamless DEM is bare earth. For contours, profiles and slope, bare earth is what you want.
North Carolina DEM sources
USGS 3DEP lidar DEM (highest resolution)
Ground elevations on this site come from the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) seamless bare-earth model: 3.3 ft per pixel where a full-resolution lidar survey has been flown, about 9.8 ft per pixel where the model is built from older lidar, and about 33 ft per pixel elsewhere, with elevations above NAVD 88. The data is in the public domain. North Carolina’s statewide lidar is published through NC OneMap and carried by USGS 3DEP. USGS 3DEP serves lidar-derived elevation across North Carolina: 3.3 ft per pixel where a full-resolution lidar survey exists, about 9.8 ft per pixel where the model is built from older lidar. Values in the downloaded file are in meters, as USGS publishes them. See the lidar data guide for how it was flown. More from the USGS 3D Elevation Program and NC OneMap’s elevation data.
USGS 3DEP 1/3 arc-second
The seamless 3DEP model fills any place without a lidar work unit with 1/3 arc-second data, about 33 ft per pixel. It covers everything, and it is far coarser: fine for a regional picture, not for site work.
NC OneMap elevation downloads
NC OneMap, run by the NC Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, publishes the state's own lidar-derived elevation products. They come from the same statewide lidar that USGS 3DEP carries, so for most purposes the two agree; check each product's metadata for its coordinate system and units before mixing them.
Global satellite models
Global elevation models from satellite missions cover the whole planet at roughly 100 ft per cell or coarser and often record the top of the forest rather than the ground. In North Carolina the 3DEP model is far more detailed.
How to download raw DEM data
- Open The National Map Downloader. The National Map Downloader is USGS's download tool for 3DEP products.
- Mark your area. Draw or search for the area you need on its map.
- Choose the elevation product. Pick the lidar DEM where it exists, or the 1/3 arc-second seamless model for wider coverage. Check each product's metadata for its resolution, coordinate system and date.
- Download the tiles. Data comes as tiles; you may need several to cover your area, and you merge and clip them yourself.
- Or request exactly your area. The 3DEP elevation image service can export a GeoTIFF of any bounding box directly, which is how this site reads it.
That gets you the raw data. Turning it into contours, profiles or enriched files still takes GIS skills — or a shortcut through this site.
Working with DEM files
GeoTIFF
A GeoTIFF is a TIFF image with geospatial metadata embedded: coordinate system, extent and cell size. Each cell holds a floating-point elevation rather than a color. High-resolution DEMs get large quickly: a lidar DEM of a block a few miles on a side runs to tens of millions of cells.
Coordinate systems and units
North Carolina data comes in several systems. USGS publishes 3DEP elevations in meters above NAVD 88. County GIS data and CAD drawings are usually in State Plane feet. This site's DXF contours use North Carolina State Plane, US survey feet (EPSG:2264). Keep track of horizontal and vertical units separately: a metric DEM draped on a drawing in feet is the classic mistake.
Software
- QGIS: free and open source; opens GeoTIFF, makes contours, hillshade and slope. Powerful, with a learning curve.
- GDAL: the command-line toolkit behind most GIS software — gdalinfo, gdalwarp and gdal_contour do most DEM jobs.
- ArcGIS Pro: Esri's commercial package with full surface analysis and 3D tools.
- Global Mapper: a commercial package known for straightforward raster handling and contouring.
Why download raw files when you can get results straight away?
North Carolina Elevation Tools reads the USGS 3DEP model for you: contour maps, elevation profiles and enriched data files in seconds, with no GIS software.
The easy alternative: North Carolina Elevation Tools
Downloading and processing raw DEMs is powerful but slow: find the right product, choose coordinate systems, download large files, install GIS software and learn it before you get the answer you came for. North Carolina Elevation Tools delivers the most common DEM-derived outputs directly, with no account and nothing to install.
The DEM itself
The Download Data tool exports a GeoTIFF of the area you select, above NAVD 88 on a WGS84 latitude/longitude grid; values in the file are in meters, as USGS publishes them. Output resolution scales with the size of the area you select. Exports are capped at 1,024 pixels on the longest side, with a floor of 3.3 ft per pixel — so a 900 ft building site is delivered at the full lidar detail, while a block 7.5 miles on a side is resampled to roughly 39 ft per pixel. Select a smaller area when you need fine detail.
The same Download Data tool also delivers a georeferenced color aerial photo of the area from USGS NAIP, which is public domain: a JPEG with a world file and projection file that lands in place under the DEM in QGIS, ArcGIS or Civil 3D.
Contour lines from the DEM
Draw an area, choose an interval and download contours as GeoJSON for GIS, DXF for CAD, PDF for print and more. See the contour lines guide.
Elevation profiles
Draw or tap out a line on the map and get an elevation chart, total climb and descent, and grade. See the elevation profile generator.
Adding elevation to files
Upload a CSV with latitude and longitude, or a GPX, KML or GeoJSON file, and download it with ground elevation added from 3DEP — no point-sampling workflow in GIS.
Common uses for DEM data
Flood and hazard assessment
Fine DEMs show flow paths, low spots and the ground a flood would reach. They complement the official flood maps from FEMA and the state's Flood Risk Information System, and the NC Geological Survey's landslide mapping; they do not replace them.
Viewsheds and line of sight
A viewshed uses a DEM to find what can be seen from a point — for an antenna, a house site or a view across a Blue Ridge valley. Trees and buildings also block views, and a bare-earth model does not include them, so read a viewshed as the terrain's answer, not the final one.
Slope and aspect
Slope is steepness; aspect is the direction a slope faces. In North Carolina, south-facing slopes get the most sun, which matters for solar, gardens, frost and, in the mountains, snow.
Cut and fill
Comparing the existing ground with a level pad gives the volume of earth to move, in cubic yards. See the Cut & Fill tool.
Drainage and watersheds
Flow direction and accumulation from a DEM trace stream networks and watersheds, and show where water collects — essential for siting a house, a pond or a septic system.
Comparing the sources
| Source | Resolution | Type | Units | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USGS 3DEP lidar DEM | 3.3 ft per pixel, or about 9.8 ft per pixel from older lidar | Bare earth | Meters, NAVD 88 | Where a lidar work unit exists |
| USGS 3DEP 1/3 arc-second | About 33 ft per pixel | Bare earth | Meters, NAVD 88 | Seamless |
| NC OneMap elevation downloads | Varies by product | Bare earth and derived products | As published; check the metadata | Statewide |
For most work in North Carolina the 3DEP lidar model is the right choice. The 1/3 arc-second model fills the gaps for regional work.
Licensing and credit
USGS 3DEP elevation data and USGS maps are U.S. Government works in the public domain: you may use the results, including commercially. A credit to the USGS 3D Elevation Program is appreciated, and every file you download carries it. County parcel boundaries are the assessor's GIS data compiled by NC OneMap, not surveys, and the county that published each parcel is named with it. The aerial basemap is from Esri and follows Esri's terms; it is not included in downloads.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best DEM source for North Carolina?
The USGS 3DEP seamless bare-earth model: 3.3 ft per pixel wherever a full-resolution lidar work unit exists, about 9.8 ft per pixel where it is built from older lidar, and about 33 ft per pixel elsewhere. USGS 3DEP serves lidar-derived elevation across North Carolina: 3.3 ft per pixel where a full-resolution lidar survey exists, about 9.8 ft per pixel where the model is built from older lidar. It is free and in the public domain. NC OneMap’s elevation page is the other primary source, for the state’s own lidar-derived downloads.
Do I need GIS software to use DEM data?
For raw GeoTIFF files, yes: QGIS, ArcGIS Pro or a similar package. North Carolina Elevation Tools reads the DEM for you and returns contour lines, elevation profiles and elevation-enriched files in the browser.
What format should I download a DEM in?
GeoTIFF is the most widely supported format and the right default. Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF (COG) is a variant that streams and reads partially, which helps with large areas. Every major GIS package opens both.
How do I make contour lines from a DEM?
In GIS software, use a contour tool (GDAL’s gdal_contour or the QGIS Contour algorithm) at the interval you want. Or let North Carolina Elevation Tools do it: select an area, choose an interval from 1 ft upward and download GeoJSON, DXF, PDF or another format.
What units and coordinate systems does North Carolina elevation data use?
USGS publishes 3DEP elevations in meters above NAVD 88. The GeoTIFF this site exports is on a WGS84 latitude/longitude grid, above NAVD 88; values in the file are in meters, as USGS publishes them. Its contour files carry feet, and its DXF contours are in North Carolina State Plane, US survey feet (EPSG:2264), which is also the system most county GIS data and CAD drawings in the state use. Make sure your project uses the same system as your data, and convert between metric and US units deliberately.
Is North Carolina DEM data free to use?
USGS 3DEP elevation data and USGS maps are U.S. Government works in the public domain: you may use the results, including commercially. A credit to the USGS 3D Elevation Program is appreciated, and every file you download carries it. County parcel boundaries are the assessor's GIS data compiled by NC OneMap, not surveys, and the county that published each parcel is named with it. The aerial basemap is from Esri and follows Esri's terms; it is not included in downloads. On this site every tool is free to use on the map; downloading the results needs a pass: US$29 for 24 hours, US$99 for 30 days or US$399 for 12 months.
Data sources and further reading
This guide describes where North Carolina DEM data comes from; these are the places to get it. All of it is public and free to use.
Primary sources
- USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) — The national program behind the elevation data: what has been flown, the specifications it was flown to, and the seamless bare-earth DEM that every elevation on this site comes from, with 3.3 ft cells where lidar exists and about 33 ft elsewhere.
- 3DEP elevation image service — The seamless DEM as a public image service, exported as GeoTIFF for any area. The terrain tiles, downloads, contours and terrain statistics on this site are read from here.
- The National Map Downloader — USGS’s own download tool for 3DEP tiles, lidar point clouds and the topographic map series, with no area limit.
- 3DEP elevation index — Where each resolution of 3DEP data exists, and which lidar work unit covers a point. This site uses it for the coverage checker and to report the share of a download that fell outside 3.3 ft lidar.
- NC OneMap elevation — North Carolina’s own elevation page: the statewide lidar-derived DEM and its derivatives, published by the NC Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, and how to download them.
- NC OneMap parcels — The statewide compilation of the county assessors’ GIS parcels that the Property tool reads: what it contains, how often each county updates, and the county-by-county download.
Search, basemaps and terms
- Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) — The federal register of place names that the search box uses for towns, peaks, lakes and streams.
- NC OneMap addresses (AddressNC) — North Carolina’s statewide address points and geocoder, used for address search.
- USGS Topo basemap — The National Map’s topographic basemap, one of the backgrounds you can switch to.
- Esri World Imagery — The aerial basemap, used under Esri’s terms. No measurement is taken from it and it is not included in downloads.
- USGS copyrights and credits — Why USGS data is in the public domain, and how USGS asks to be credited.
Related guides
- Lidar data for North Carolina — lidar technology, coverage and access.
- Contour lines for North Carolina — contours for any area.
- Topographic maps of North Carolina — from USGS quads to custom lidar maps.
- Download contours as GeoJSON — for QGIS and GIS workflows.
- Download contours as DXF — for AutoCAD and Civil 3D.
- Elevation profile generator — charts from GPX, KML and GeoJSON routes.
- Add elevation to CSV files — elevations for a spreadsheet of points.