USA Time Zone Map
The United States spans six time zones from east to west, covering nearly 3,000 miles of longitude. This time zones USA map clearly shows the boundaries between each zone, helping you understand time differences when communicating or traveling across the country.
As shown on our time zones USA map, the six standard time zones are Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific, Alaska, and Hawaii-Aleutian. During Daylight Saving Time (observed by most states except Arizona and Hawaii), clocks are set forward by one hour in each zone from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.
Detailed Information About Each US Time Zone
Eastern Time Zone (ET)
The Eastern Time Zone (UTC-5:00 standard time, UTC-4:00 during Daylight Saving Time) covers the eastern seaboard of the USA and is home to many major population centers. This time zone includes the entire East Coast from Maine to Florida, as well as portions of the Midwest and all of southern and eastern Michigan.
Central Time Zone (CT)
The Central Time Zone (UTC-6:00 standard time, UTC-5:00 during Daylight Saving Time) covers much of the country's midsection, including Chicago, Houston, and Minneapolis-St. Paul. This zone includes states from North Dakota to Texas in the Great Plains and portions of the Midwest, including western Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
Mountain Time Zone (MT)
The Mountain Time Zone (UTC-7:00 standard time, UTC-6:00 during Daylight Saving Time) spans from portions of the Great Plains westward to the Rocky Mountains. This zone includes Denver, Salt Lake City, and Phoenix. Most of Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time, remaining on Mountain Standard Time year-round.
Pacific Time Zone (PT)
The Pacific Time Zone (UTC-8:00 standard time, UTC-7:00 during Daylight Saving Time) covers the West Coast states of Washington, Oregon, and California, plus Nevada and parts of Idaho. Major cities in this zone include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Las Vegas.
Alaska Time Zone (AKT)
The Alaska Time Zone (UTC-9:00 standard time, UTC-8:00 during Daylight Saving Time) covers most of the state of Alaska, including Anchorage, the state's largest city. This time zone is one hour behind Pacific Time.
Hawaii-Aleutian Time Zone (HAT)
The Hawaii-Aleutian Time Zone (UTC-10:00 standard time, UTC-9:00 during Daylight Saving Time for the Aleutian Islands) covers Hawaii and most of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. Hawaii does not observe Daylight Saving Time, remaining on Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time year-round.
Major Cities by Time Zone
The following table lists major cities in each US time zone, making it easy to determine local times across the country:
| Time Zone | Standard Time | Daylight Time | Major Cities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern | UTC-5:00 | UTC-4:00 | New York, Washington DC, Boston, Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Detroit, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Columbus |
| Central | UTC-6:00 | UTC-5:00 | Chicago, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, New Orleans, Memphis, Nashville, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City |
| Mountain | UTC-7:00 | UTC-6:00 | Denver, Phoenix (no DST), Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, El Paso, Boise, Tucson (no DST), Cheyenne, Billings |
| Pacific | UTC-8:00 | UTC-7:00 | Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, San Diego, Portland, Las Vegas, Sacramento, San Jose, Oakland, Fresno, Long Beach, Tacoma |
| Alaska | UTC-9:00 | UTC-8:00 | Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Kodiak, Sitka, Ketchikan, Wasilla, Kenai |
| Hawaii-Aleutian | UTC-10:00 | UTC-9:00* | Honolulu, Hilo, Kailua, Waipahu, Kaneohe, Pearl City, Waimea, Unalaska (Aleutian Islands)* |
* Hawaii does not observe Daylight Saving Time; only the Aleutian Islands portion of this time zone changes.
Time Zone Boundaries and Special Cases
States Spanning Multiple Time Zones
Several states on our time zones USA map are divided between two or more time zones:
- Florida: Most of Florida is in Eastern Time, but the western panhandle is in Central Time
- Kentucky: Eastern and Central Time (roughly divided east/west)
- Tennessee: Eastern Time in the east, Central Time in the middle and west
- Indiana: Mostly Eastern Time, but the northwest and southwest corners observe Central Time
- Michigan: Most of the state uses Eastern Time, but four counties in the Upper Peninsula observe Central Time
- North Dakota: Most of the state is Central Time, but the southwest corner uses Mountain Time
- Nebraska: Central Time in the east, Mountain Time in the western portion
- Kansas: Primarily Central Time, but four counties in the western portion observe Mountain Time
- Texas: Most of the state is in Central Time, but El Paso and parts of western Texas use Mountain Time
- Oregon: Most of the state is in Pacific Time, but portions of Malheur County in eastern Oregon observe Mountain Time
- Idaho: Northern Idaho uses Pacific Time, while southern Idaho observes Mountain Time
- Alaska: Most of the state uses Alaska Time, but the Aleutian Islands and western Alaska use Hawaii-Aleutian Time
Daylight Saving Time Exceptions
Not all areas in the United States observe Daylight Saving Time. Notable exceptions include:
- Arizona: Most of the state remains on Mountain Standard Time year-round, except for the Navajo Nation, which does observe DST
- Hawaii: The entire state does not observe DST, remaining on Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time year-round
- U.S. Territories: Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam do not observe DST
Practical Uses for the Time Zones USA Map
Business and Communication
Understanding time zones is crucial for business operations and communication across the United States:
- Scheduling conference calls and virtual meetings with participants in different states
- Planning customer service hours for nationwide coverage
- Coordinating delivery times and shipping schedules
- Setting appropriate times for webinars and online events
- Clarifying business hours for companies with multiple office locations
Travel Planning
Time zone awareness is essential when traveling across the United States:
- Calculating arrival times accurately when booking flights
- Adjusting itineraries for time changes during road trips
- Preventing missed appointments or connections due to time zone confusion
- Planning phone calls home when traveling
- Understanding when businesses and attractions will be open at your destination
Entertainment and Media
Time zones affect how we consume media and entertainment:
- Determining when live TV broadcasts and sporting events will air in your location
- Understanding "prime time" scheduling differences across the country
- Planning viewing parties for special events broadcast nationwide
- Coordinating online gaming sessions with friends in different states
History of US Time Zones
Before the late 19th century, time in the United States was not standardized. Each city set its own local time, usually based on solar noon. This created major problems for the expanding railroad system, which found it impossible to create coherent schedules with dozens of different local times.
On November 18, 1883, American and Canadian railroads implemented a standard time system divided into four time zones (Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific). This "Railroad Time" was quickly adopted by most cities, though it wasn't officially recognized by the U.S. government until the Standard Time Act of 1918, which also established Daylight Saving Time.
Alaska and Hawaii time zones were standardized later as these territories became states in 1959. Today's time zones USA map reflects over a century of adjustments to time zone boundaries, often influenced by economic connections, TV broadcast patterns, and local preferences.