Current local time in Des Moines, United States
The live clock above shows the time in Des Moines. Des Moines is in the America/Chicago time zone, UTC−5 right now (CDT).
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Region | Iowa |
| Population | about 287,000 |
| Coordinates | 41.58° N, 93.62° W |
| Time zone | America/Chicago |
| Abbreviation | CST / CDT |
| UTC offset | UTC−6 (winter) / UTC−5 (summer) |
| Daylight saving time | Yes |
Daylight saving time
Des Moines uses daylight saving time: clocks switch between UTC−6 (CST) and UTC−5 (CDT). 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 | 7:17 AM | 7:25 PM | 12 h 8 min |
| June solstice | 5:40 AM | 8:52 PM | 15 h 11 min |
| September equinox | 7:01 AM | 7:12 PM | 12 h 10 min |
| December solstice | 7:37 AM | 4:47 PM | 9 h 9 min |
Clock time vs. sun time
The sun is highest over Des Moines at about 12:23 PM in mid-January, and about 1:20 PM in mid-July. On standard time, local clocks run about 14 minutes ahead of the sun, because Des Moines sits at 93.6° W, while its time zone is centred on 90.0° W.
Des Moines time compared with other cities
| City | Time now | Compared with Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 1 hour ahead | |
| Los Angeles | 2 hours behind | |
| London | 6 hours ahead | |
| Paris | 7 hours ahead | |
| Dubai | 10 hours ahead in Jan, 9 hours ahead in Jul | |
| Mumbai | 11.5 hours ahead in Jan, 10.5 hours ahead in Jul | |
| Shanghai | 14 hours ahead in Jan, 13 hours ahead in Jul | |
| Tokyo | 15 hours ahead in Jan, 14 hours ahead in Jul | |
| Sydney | 17 hours ahead in Jan, 15 hours ahead in Jul |
Nearby cities
| City | Distance | Time now vs Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids | 168 km (105 mi) | same time |
| Omaha | 203 km (126 mi) | same time |
| Davenport | 252 km (157 mi) | same time |
| Rock Island | 257 km (160 mi) | same time |
| Lincoln | 270 km (168 mi) | same time |
| Independence | 285 km (177 mi) | same time |
| Kansas City | 287 km (179 mi) | same time |
| Rochester | 287 km (179 mi) | same time |
Other cities in United States
- New York
- Los Angeles
- Chicago
- Houston
- Philadelphia
- Dallas
- Miami
- Boston
- Detroit
- Atlanta
- Washington DC
- Phoenix
- San Francisco
- San Diego
- Denver
- Seattle
- Irvine
- Pittsburgh
Questions people ask
What time zone is Des Moines in?
Des Moines is in the America/Chicago time zone, UTC−6, or UTC−5 during daylight saving time.
Does Des Moines have daylight saving time?
Des Moines uses daylight saving time: clocks switch between UTC−6 (CST) and UTC−5 (CDT). The next change is on Sunday, November 1, 2026, when clocks go back one hour.
Why isn't noon in Des Moines when the sun is highest?
Because time zones are wide. Des Moines's clocks follow a zone centred on 90.0° W, so on standard time they run about 14 minutes ahead of the sun. Daylight saving time adds another hour.
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Time zone data: IANA tz database 2026e. Population: Natural Earth (approximate).