Days in Chicago are currently getting shorter, about 19 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 Chicago
Chicago is located in the Northern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere. Its coordinates are 41.8500° N, 87.6501° W.
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Distance from the Equator:
about 4,659 km (2,895 mi)
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Distance from the North Pole:
about 5,360 km (3,331 mi)
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Distance from the South Pole:
about 14,678 km (9,120 mi)
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Distance from the Prime Meridian:
about 7,268 km (4,516 mi) west
Chicago lies in the temperate latitude zone. This latitude affects daylight length, seasonal variation and how local solar time compares with standard clock time.
Antipode of Chicago
The point on Earth exactly opposite Chicago is near Perth - when it's noon in Chicago, it's close to midnight there.
Golden Hour & Blue Hour in Chicago
Approximate times based on sunrise/sunset. Actual golden hour quality varies with weather and season.
Current Season in Chicago
Chicago is currently in Autumn. Autumn begins around September 22, which is 1 day from now.
Because Chicago 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 Chicago
In Chicago, the longest day of the year falls around June 21 and lasts about 15h 13m. The shortest day falls around December 21 and lasts about 9h 8m, a difference of roughly 6h 5m between the two.
This seasonal swing depends on Chicago's latitude: cities closer to the equator see little variation in daylight throughout the year, while cities farther from it, like Chicago at 41.85° N, experience a much wider gap between summer and winter daylight.
Population Ranking of Chicago
With a population of 2,664,452, Chicago ranks as the 4th most populous city in United States, out of 3,397 cities tracked on this site.
Airport in Chicago
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW / KMDW) is a major international airport serving Chicago directly.
Current local time at the airport is 07:46:56.
Daylight saving time changes in Chicago
Chicago uses the IANA time zone identifier America/Chicago. The current local offset is UTC-5 / CDT.
2026
Previous change: Daylight saving time started
- The offset changed from UTC-6 / CST to UTC-5 / CDT.
- 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-5 / CDT to UTC-6 / CST.
- The clock will be moved back from 02:00 to 01:00 local time.
Best Time to Call Chicago
Business hours in Chicago (9 AM-5 PM local time) fall at these local times elsewhere:
- New York: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM ( Convenient)
- Los Angeles: 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM ( Partial overlap)
- London: 3:00 PM - 11:00 PM ( Partial overlap)
- Dubai: 6:00 PM - 2:00 AM (next day) ( Partial overlap)
- Mumbai: 7:30 PM - 3:30 AM (next day) ( Partial overlap)
- Tokyo: 11:00 PM - 7:00 AM (next day) ( Outside normal hours)
- Sydney: 12:00 AM (next day) - 8:00 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 Chicago
Compare time in Chicago with major cities worldwide.
Time now in other cities in United States
Public Holidays Affecting Chicago
Official national holiday observed in United States.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time zone is Chicago in?
Chicago follows the America/Chicago time zone, the official IANA identifier used by computers and databases worldwide to track local time accurately. Right now, this puts Chicago at UTC-5.
What time is it in Chicago right now?
The current local time in Chicago is 07:46:56 on Sunday, 20 September 2026. This page updates automatically, so refreshing it will always show the live time.
Does Chicago observe daylight saving time?
Yes. Chicago 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 Chicago?
Chicago is currently UTC-5, meaning local time is 5 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
What is the nearest airport to Chicago?
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) is the airport serving Chicago. The current local time at the airport is 07:46:56.
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