U.S. Cities North of Contiguous 48's Midpoint Quiz

Answer:

The highest latitude in the contiguous United States is approximately 49°23'N, located in the Northwest Angle of Minnesota. The lowest latitude in the contiguous United States is at Western Key, part of the Dry Tortugas islands in Florida, located at approximately 24°31'N latitude. The latitude exactly hallway between those two points is 36°57'N, grazing the bottom edge of Santa Cruz, California.

Here are the cities that are north of that midpoint latitude of 36°57'N.

Boston, Massachusetts, a major metropolitan city, has its northernmost latitude at 42°21′37″ N (42.36028° N), while its southernmost latitude is 42°21′30″ N. So, it is entirely north of that midpoint latitude. Typically, the coordinates for a city are measured at a central, iconic point, and in Boston's case, this is often the Massachusetts State House on Beacon Hill.

Chicago, Illinois' city limits span a north-south distance of about 26 miles along Lake Michigan.
The northernmost latitude point of approximately 42.023° North, lies in the Edgewater neighborhood, at an alley north of Juneway Terrace extended to the Lake Michigan shoreline. The southernmost point is in the Roseland neighborhood, near 138th Street and Indiana Avenue at about 41.645° North.

The city of Cleveland, Ohio, spans only a small range of latitude, the northernmost being about 41.60° North, along the shoreline of Lake Erie, and the southernmost latitude at about 41.40° North. That total north-south span of 0.20 degrees of latitude is approximately 13-14 miles (21-23 km) from north to south.

The northern edge of Louisville, Kentucky extends to the Ohio River border with Indiana and is at 38.25611° N (or 38° 15′ 22″ N). The southern boundary of the city of Louisville (sharing a boundary Jefferson County) is by the Fern Creek and Highview areas at 38.1000° N (38° 06′ 00″ N). Louisville's north-south span is approximately 0.156 degrees (about 10.8 miles).

The latitudes of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, span from approximately 43°10′ N (northernmost) to 42°58′ N (southernmost). The city covers about 12 miles north-south along Lake Michigan, with the north edge near Brown Deer Road and the south near the Milwaukee River mouth and airport areas. The central downtown is around 43°02′ N.

The latitude range of Omaha, Nebraska is from ~41.36° N at its northernmost latitude, which goes into the suburban and residential areas of Douglas County, and ~41.18° N at its southernmost latitude, defined largely by the Missouri River, across from Council Bluffs, Iowa.

The north to south range of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is actually quite small compared to most other big cities. It has a wider east/west spread than a north/south spread. Pittsburgh's northernmost point is on Nelson Run Road (just off McKnight Road) in the Summer Hill neighborhood, bordering Ross Township, at about 40.497° N. The city's southernmost point is in the Lincoln Place neighborhood, just before the Shop 'n Save on Buttermilk Hollow Road, bordering West Mifflin, at approximately 40.367° N.

Sacramento, California, spans latitudes from approximately 38°38′ N (at its northernmost, near North Sacramento areas) to 38°31′ N (at its southernmost, near South Sacramento). The city covers about 10 miles from north to south, with its central downtown at approximately 38°35′ N. North Sacramento marks the top edge, while South Sacramento hits the bottom near the city limits.

St. Louis, Missouri, has latitudes spanning from approximately 38°41′ N (at its northernmost, near Old North St. Louis neighborhood) to 38°32′ N (at its southernmost, southern city limits). The city covers about 9 miles from north to south. The downtown is centered around 38°37′ N. The northern edge pushes past the central area, while the south aligns near the Mississippi River bends.

The United States' capitol, Washington DC has its northernmost point at 38° 59.760′ N (38° 59′ 45.6″ N), located at the DC North Cornerstone, a historic stone post that marks the northernmost point of the District of Columbia, placed there in the 1790s. The northern edge is near E Beach Dr NW and Verbena St NW. Its southernmost point: 38°47′30″ N on water at the Potomac River tripoint. This covers about 7 miles north to south along the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers, with downtown centered near 38°54′ N.

These are the cities that lie below on the south side of that 36°57'N middle-point latitude:

The northernmost latitude of Albuquerque is reported by multiple sources as approximately 35°06′39″ N (35.11083° N).

Long Beach, California's northernmost latitude is approximately 33°52′ N.

The city of Memphis, in Tennessee, reaches a northernmost latitude of about 35.27° N (about 35°16′ N).

The northernmost latitude of Raleigh, North Carolina is approximately 35°51′15″ N.

Tulsa, Oklahoma's northernmost latitude is approximately 36°14′ N, near Mohawk Park and the Arkansas River.