Current local time in Boston, United States
The live clock above shows the time in Boston. Boston is in the America/New York time zone, UTC−4 right now (EDT).
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Region | Massachusetts |
| Population | about 2.5 million |
| Coordinates | 42.33° N, 71.07° W |
| Time zone | America/New York |
| Abbreviation | EST / EDT |
| UTC offset | UTC−5 (winter) / UTC−4 (summer) |
| Daylight saving time | Yes |
Daylight saving time
Boston uses daylight saving time: clocks switch between UTC−5 (EST) and UTC−4 (EDT). The next change is on Sunday, November 1, 2026, when clocks go back one hour.
Sunrise, sunset and daylight
Today: sunrise …, sunset …, .
| 2026 | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 6:47 AM | 6:55 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| June solstice | 5:07 AM | 8:24 PM | 15 h 16 min |
| September equinox | 6:31 AM | 6:42 PM | 12 h 11 min |
| December solstice | 7:10 AM | 4:14 PM | 9 h 4 min |
Clock time vs. sun time
The sun is highest over Boston at about 11:53 AM in mid-January, and about 12:49 PM in mid-July. On standard time, local clocks run about 16 minutes behind the sun, because Boston sits at 71.1° W, while its time zone is centred on 75.0° W.
Boston time compared with other cities
| City | Time now | Compared with Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 3 hours behind | |
| London | 5 hours ahead | |
| Paris | 6 hours ahead | |
| Dubai | 9 hours ahead in Jan, 8 hours ahead in Jul | |
| Mumbai | 10.5 hours ahead in Jan, 9.5 hours ahead in Jul | |
| Shanghai | 13 hours ahead in Jan, 12 hours ahead in Jul | |
| Tokyo | 14 hours ahead in Jan, 13 hours ahead in Jul | |
| Sydney | 16 hours ahead in Jan, 14 hours ahead in Jul |
Nearby cities
| City | Distance | Time now vs Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Salem | 26 km (16 mi) | same time |
| Lowell | 39 km (24 mi) | same time |
| Worcester | 60 km (38 mi) | same time |
| Providence | 63 km (39 mi) | same time |
| New Bedford | 76 km (47 mi) | same time |
| Manchester | 80 km (50 mi) | same time |
| Springfield | 127 km (79 mi) | same time |
| Hartford | 147 km (91 mi) | same time |
Other cities in United States
- New York
- Los Angeles
- Chicago
- Houston
- Philadelphia
- Dallas
- Miami
- Detroit
- Atlanta
- Washington DC
- Phoenix
- San Francisco
- San Diego
- Denver
- Seattle
- Irvine
- Pittsburgh
- Minneapolis
Questions people ask
What time zone is Boston in?
Boston is in the America/New York time zone, UTC−5, or UTC−4 during daylight saving time.
Does Boston have daylight saving time?
Boston uses daylight saving time: clocks switch between UTC−5 (EST) and UTC−4 (EDT). The next change is on Sunday, November 1, 2026, when clocks go back one hour.
Why isn't noon in Boston when the sun is highest?
Because time zones are wide. Boston's clocks follow a zone centred on 75.0° W, so on standard time they run about 16 minutes behind the sun. Daylight saving time adds another hour.
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Time zone data: IANA tz database 2026e. Population: Natural Earth (approximate).