The structural properties of LaCoO 3 were studied by means of high-resolution neutron powder diffraction in the temperature range 5£T£1000 K. Changes of the Co +3 spin states in this temperature interval are shown to affect not only the unit cell volume, as previously known, but also internal parameters such as the metal-oxygen bond lengths.These data, as well as the temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility, can be qualitatively modeled based on a 3-state (low-spin, intermediate-spin and high-spin) activated behavior, but correction terms are required for quantitative agreement. Our fits consistently indicate that the ionic radius of the intermediate-spin state (~0.56 Å) is smaller than the low-spin/high-spin average (~0.58 Å). We also present evidence of a third lattice, anomaly, occurring around 800 K, which we attribute to the formation of oxygen vacancies.