Time Difference Between Boston and Chicago

The time difference between Boston and Chicago is 1 hour. When it is 12:00 noon in Boston, it is 11:00 in Chicago. Boston uses the America/New_York time zone (UTC-4), while Chicago uses America/Chicago (UTC-5).

Chicago is 1 hour behind Boston — 1 hour
Boston, United States
18:19:28
Thursday, March 26, 2026
UTC-4 · EDT (DST)
Chicago, United States
17:19:28
Thursday, March 26, 2026
UTC-5 · CDT (DST)

Time Zone Details: Boston vs Chicago

Detail Boston Chicago
Time Zone IDAmerica/New_YorkAmerica/Chicago
UTC OffsetUTC-4UTC-5
AbbreviationEDTCDT
DST ActiveYes — currently observingYes — currently observing
CountryUnited StatesUnited States
RegionNorth AmericaNorth America

Best Time to Schedule a Call

There are 7 overlapping business hours between Boston and Chicago (assuming 9:00–17:00 in each city). The ideal window for calls and meetings is:

10:00–17:00 in Boston  =  09:00–16:00 in Chicago

Hour-by-Hour Time Conversion

Use this table to quickly convert any hour from Boston time to Chicago time. Rows highlighted in green indicate overlapping business hours in both cities.

Boston Chicago
00:00 23:00 (-1 day) Night
01:00 00:00 Night
02:00 01:00 Night
03:00 02:00 Night
04:00 03:00 Night
05:00 04:00 Night
06:00 05:00
07:00 06:00
08:00 07:00
09:00 08:00
10:00 09:00 Overlap
11:00 10:00 Overlap
12:00 11:00 Overlap
13:00 12:00 Overlap
14:00 13:00 Overlap
15:00 14:00 Overlap
16:00 15:00 Overlap
17:00 16:00
18:00 17:00
19:00 18:00
20:00 19:00
21:00 20:00
22:00 21:00 Night
23:00 22:00 Night

Daylight Saving Time (DST) Impact

Both Boston and Chicago are currently observing daylight saving time. The current 1 hour difference reflects both cities' DST offsets. When one city switches back to standard time before the other, the gap will temporarily change by 1 hour.

Practical Tips for Boston–Chicago Scheduling

Compare Boston and Chicago with Other Cities

From Boston

From Chicago

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the time difference between Boston and Chicago?

The time difference is 1 hour. Chicago is 1 hour behind Boston.

Does the time difference change during the year?

Yes. Both cities observe daylight saving time, but they may switch on different dates, causing the gap to shift by 1 hour temporarily.

When is the best time to call from Boston to Chicago?

The best window is between 10:00 and 17:00 Boston time, which corresponds to 09:00–16:00 in Chicago. Both sides fall within normal business hours.

How do I convert Boston time to Chicago time?

Subtract 1 hour from Boston time to get Chicago time. Use the hour-by-hour table above for a quick reference.

Related Pages

For sunrise and sunset data, visit TheSunsetTimes.com. For detailed DST schedules, see DaylightSavingTime.info.