SHTF Prep

Canning altitude calculator: time and pressure for your elevation

Living above 1,000 feet changes how you can. Enter your elevation to see the adjusted time or pressure, then check it against your recipe.

Reviewed October 2026

Jars of homemade orange marmalade on a wooden table
Jars of homemade marmalade. Photo: Rob Wicks on Unsplash

Adjust for your elevation

Based on USDA altitude adjustments used by Extension services.

Your canner

Enter your elevation to see the adjustment.

Why altitude matters

Water boils at 212°F at sea level but at lower temperatures as you go higher, so food in the canner doesn't get as hot. To make up for it:

  • Boiling-water canning adds processing time.
  • Pressure canning raises the pressure. The processing time stays the same.

Boiling-water canner: added time

Your elevation Add to the recipe's time
0 to 1,000 ft Nothing
1,001 to 3,000 ft 5 minutes
3,001 to 6,000 ft 10 minutes
6,001 to 8,000 ft 15 minutes
8,001 to 10,000 ft 20 minutes

These are the general adjustments used by Extension services. Many USDA recipes print their own altitude table, and when yours does, use it. Its ranges may differ.

Pressure canner: pounds of pressure

Your elevation Dial-gauge canner Weighted-gauge canner
0 to 1,000 ft 11 lb 10 lb
1,001 to 2,000 ft 11 lb 15 lb
2,001 to 4,000 ft 12 lb 15 lb
4,001 to 6,000 ft 13 lb 15 lb
6,001 to 8,000 ft 14 lb 15 lb

A weighted gauge only has 5, 10 and 15 pound settings, so above 1,000 feet it's always 15. USDA's tested pressure tables stop at 8,000 feet for dial gauges: above that, ask your county Extension office.

Finding your elevation

Search for your town's name and "elevation", or look at a topographic map. Use the elevation of your home, not the nearest city if it's much lower. If you're close to a boundary, use the higher range. Extra time or pressure is safe; too little isn't.

Sources