• Which time zone does New York observe?
    • The state of New York is entirely in the Eastern Time Zone.
  • What is New York known for?
    • New York is one of the most well-known states in the U.S.
    • It is also one of the most populous states.
    • New York is home to New York City, the most populous city in the United States.
    • The state is commonly referred to as "The Empire State."
  • How large is New York’s population?
    • New York has a population of nearly 20 million residents.
  • Which states and countries border New York?
    • New York is one of the northernmost states in the U.S.
    • It shares borders with:
    • New Jersey
    • Pennsylvania
    • Connecticut
    • Vermont
    • Massachusetts
    • Rhode Island (via water border)
    • Canada

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1. History of NY Time Zones


History of NY Time Zones

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Before the introduction of time zones, people around the United States relied on the sun to tell the time. As the sun would reach its highest point in the sky and cross the meridian line, clocks would be set to midday, meaning that the time in one town or state would differ from another town or state not too far away.

Time zones were introduced a little before the turn of the 20th century, leading to a more structured timekeeping system throughout the entire US. As one of the most easterly states, New York was logically placed within the Eastern Time Zone. While some states are split between multiple time zones, the entirety of New York observes Eastern Time. This is actually the dominant time zone of the US, with a majority of the country's population observing Eastern Time.

2. NY Time Zone - Eastern Time Zone

NY Time Zone - Eastern Time Zone

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Eastern Time Zone

The Eastern Time Zone (ET) covers the entirety of New York, as well as applying in sixteen other full states and parts of five other states. Eastern Time is divided into two forms: Eastern Standard Time (EST) and Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). EST applies outside of the summer months and is five hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-5), while EDT, which is used during periods of daylight saving time, is four hours behind UTC.

As well as New York and many other parts of the US, the Eastern Time Zone also covers some sections of Canada, one Mexican state, several Caribbean Islands, and some parts of Central and South America. It’s a very important time zone in the US as it covers around half of the American population, including the biggest city (New York City) and the capital, Washington D.C.

Daylight Savings in New York

The entire state of New York, like most other states in the US, uses daylight savings time. This means that, during several months of the year around the summer time, the state passes from EDT to EST, going from UTC-5 to UTC-4. Daylight saving time was introduced through the Uniform Time Act in 1966 and was extended after the Energy Policy Act in 2005.

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