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📖 5 min read · April 5, 2025

US Time Zones Explained: EST, CST, MST, PST and More

The United States spans 6 time zones from coast to coast. Knowing which states are in which zone — and how many hours apart they are — is essential for any US-based remote team.

The 6 US Time Zones

Eastern Time (ET): UTC-5 standard / UTC-4 daylight. States: New York, Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and most of the East Coast. Central Time (CT): UTC-6 standard / UTC-5 daylight. States: Texas, Illinois, Tennessee, Minnesota. Mountain Time (MT): UTC-7 standard / UTC-6 daylight. States: Colorado, Arizona (no DST), New Mexico. Pacific Time (PT): UTC-8 standard / UTC-7 daylight. States: California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada. Alaska Time: UTC-9 standard. Hawaii-Aleutian Time: UTC-10 standard (Hawaii does not observe DST).

Time Differences Between US Time Zones

Eastern is 1 hour ahead of Central, 2 hours ahead of Mountain, and 3 hours ahead of Pacific. So when it is noon ET: it is 11 AM CT, 10 AM MT, and 9 AM PT. The maximum span across the contiguous US (East to West Coast) is 3 hours. Including Alaska it is 4 hours, and including Hawaii it is 5-6 hours.

Which Major Cities Are in Each Time Zone?

Eastern: New York, Miami, Boston, Atlanta, Detroit, Philadelphia. Central: Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Nashville. Mountain: Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque. Pacific: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Las Vegas. Note: Arizona (except Navajo Nation) does NOT observe daylight saving time, making it unique among Mountain Time states.

Best Meeting Times Across US Time Zones

For meetings covering all 4 contiguous zones (ET through PT), the best window is 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM PT). Before 12 PM ET means Pacific colleagues are still in pre-9 AM. After 3 PM PT means Eastern colleagues are at 6 PM or later. The sweet spot is always early afternoon Eastern / late morning Pacific.

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❓ Common Questions

How many time zones does the US have?

The US has 6 standard time zones: Eastern (ET), Central (CT), Mountain (MT), Pacific (PT), Alaska (AKT), and Hawaii-Aleutian (HAT). Some territories add additional zones.

What time zone is New York in?

New York is in Eastern Time (ET) — UTC-5 in winter (EST) and UTC-4 in summer (EDT) during daylight saving time.

What time zone is Los Angeles in?

Los Angeles is in Pacific Time (PT) — UTC-8 in winter (PST) and UTC-7 in summer (PDT) during daylight saving time.

What is the time difference between New York and Los Angeles?

New York (Eastern) is 3 hours ahead of Los Angeles (Pacific). When it is 12:00 PM in New York, it is 9:00 AM in Los Angeles.

🔗 Related Converters

EST to PST ConverterPST to EST ConverterEST to CST (CET) Converter🌍 Full Time Zone Converter →
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