Days in Houston are currently getting shorter, about 13 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 Houston
Houston is located in the Northern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere. Its coordinates are 29.7633° N, 95.3633° W.
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Distance from the Equator:
about 3,313 km (2,059 mi)
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Distance from the North Pole:
about 6,706 km (4,167 mi)
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Distance from the South Pole:
about 13,332 km (8,284 mi)
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Distance from the Prime Meridian:
about 9,215 km (5,726 mi) west
Houston 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 Houston
The point on Earth exactly opposite Houston is near Perth - when it's noon in Houston, it's close to midnight there.
Golden Hour & Blue Hour in Houston
Approximate times based on sunrise/sunset. Actual golden hour quality varies with weather and season.
Current Season in Houston
Houston is currently in Autumn. Autumn begins around September 22, which is 5 days from now.
Because Houston 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 Houston
In Houston, the longest day of the year falls around June 21 and lasts about 14h 3m. The shortest day falls around December 21 and lasts about 10h 14m, a difference of roughly 3h 49m between the two.
This seasonal swing depends on Houston's latitude: cities closer to the equator see little variation in daylight throughout the year, while cities farther from it, like Houston at 29.76° N, experience a much wider gap between summer and winter daylight.
Population Ranking of Houston
With a population of 2,314,157, Houston ranks as the 6th most populous city in United States, out of 3,397 cities tracked on this site.
Nearest Airport to Houston
William P. Hobby Airport (HOU / KHOU) is a major international airport located about 16 km (10 mi) from Houston.
Current local time at the airport is 19:27:07.
Daylight saving time changes in Houston
Houston 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 Houston
Business hours in Houston (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 Houston
Compare time in Houston with major cities worldwide.
Time now in other cities in United States
Public Holidays Affecting Houston
Official national holiday observed in United States.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time zone is Houston in?
Houston 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 Houston at UTC-5.
What time is it in Houston right now?
The current local time in Houston is 19:27:07 on Wednesday, 16 September 2026. This page updates automatically, so refreshing it will always show the live time.
Does Houston observe daylight saving time?
Yes. Houston 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 Houston?
Houston is currently UTC-5, meaning local time is 5 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
What is the nearest airport to Houston?
William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) is the nearest airport to Houston, located about 16 km away. The current local time at the airport is 19:27:07.
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