Days in Charleston are currently getting shorter, about 14 minutes shorter than a week ago.*
* Calculated from sunrise and sunset times; actual visible daylight can vary slightly with weather, elevation and atmospheric conditions.
Geographic position of Charleston
Charleston is located in the Northern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere. Its coordinates are 32.7763° N, 79.9328° W.
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Distance from the Equator:
about 3,649 km (2,267 mi)
-
Distance from the North Pole:
about 6,370 km (3,958 mi)
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Distance from the South Pole:
about 13,667 km (8,492 mi)
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Distance from the Prime Meridian:
about 7,481 km (4,648 mi) west
Charleston lies in the subtropical latitude zone. This latitude affects daylight length, seasonal variation and how local solar time compares with standard clock time.
Antipode of Charleston
The point on Earth exactly opposite Charleston is near Perth - when it's noon in Charleston, it's close to midnight there.
Golden Hour & Blue Hour in Charleston
Approximate times based on sunrise/sunset. Actual golden hour quality varies with weather and season.
Current Season in Charleston
Charleston is currently in Autumn. Autumn begins around September 22, which is 1 day from now.
Because Charleston is in the Northern Hemisphere, its seasons run opposite to cities in the other hemisphere. When it is autumn here, places on the other side of the equator are experiencing the opposite season at the same time.
Longest & Shortest Day in Charleston
In Charleston, the longest day of the year falls around June 21 and lasts about 14h 18m. The shortest day falls around December 21 and lasts about 9h 59m, a difference of roughly 4h 19m between the two.
This seasonal swing depends on Charleston's latitude: cities closer to the equator see little variation in daylight throughout the year, while cities farther from it, like Charleston at 32.78° N, experience a much wider gap between summer and winter daylight.
Population Ranking of Charleston
With a population of 132,609, Charleston ranks as the 232nd most populous city in United States, out of 3,397 cities tracked on this site.
Nearest Airport to Charleston
Charleston International Airport (CHS / KCHS) is a major international airport located about 17 km (10 mi) from Charleston.
Current local time at the airport is 10:25:25.
Daylight saving time changes in Charleston
Charleston uses the IANA time zone identifier America/New_York. The current local offset is UTC-4 / EDT.
2026
Previous change: Daylight saving time started
- The offset changed from UTC-5 / EST to UTC-4 / EDT.
- The clock was moved forward from 02:00 to 03:00 local time.
2026
Next change: Standard time starts
- The offset will change from UTC-4 / EDT to UTC-5 / EST.
- The clock will be moved back from 02:00 to 01:00 local time.
Best Time to Call Charleston
Business hours in Charleston (9 AM-5 PM local time) fall at these local times elsewhere:
- Los Angeles: 6:00 AM - 2:00 PM ( Partial overlap)
- London: 2:00 PM - 10:00 PM ( Partial overlap)
- Dubai: 5:00 PM - 1:00 AM (next day) ( Partial overlap)
- Mumbai: 6:30 PM - 2:30 AM (next day) ( Partial overlap)
- Tokyo: 10:00 PM - 6:00 AM (next day) ( Outside normal hours)
- Sydney: 11:00 PM - 7:00 AM (next day) ( Outside normal hours)
Times shown reflect current UTC offsets and may shift by up to an hour around daylight saving transitions.
Time Difference from Charleston
Compare time in Charleston with major cities worldwide.
Time now in other cities in United States
Public Holidays Affecting Charleston
Official national holiday observed in United States.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time zone is Charleston in?
Charleston follows the America/New_York time zone, the official IANA identifier used by computers and databases worldwide to track local time accurately. Right now, this puts Charleston at UTC-4.
What time is it in Charleston right now?
The current local time in Charleston is 10:25:25 on Sunday, 20 September 2026. This page updates automatically, so refreshing it will always show the live time.
Does Charleston observe daylight saving time?
Yes. Charleston is currently observing daylight saving time, which temporarily shifts the clock forward by one hour compared to standard time.
How far ahead or behind UTC is Charleston?
Charleston is currently UTC-4, meaning local time is 4 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
What is the nearest airport to Charleston?
Charleston International Airport (CHS) is the nearest airport to Charleston, located about 17 km away. The current local time at the airport is 10:25:25.
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