Current time in Wisconsin
Central Time UTC−6 · one zone statewide
Wisconsin's time zone
Wisconsin runs entirely on Central Time: CST (UTC−6) in winter and CDT (UTC−5) from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November. Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, and Superior — at the state's four corners of activity — share one clock with Chicago.
Wisconsin's borders are unusually seamless for time: Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois are Central, and so are the four Upper Peninsula counties of Michigan that touch Wisconsin (Gogebic, Iron, Dickinson, and Menominee), even though most of Michigan is Eastern. The hour only changes if you continue deeper into the UP or cross Lake Michigan. Green Bay Packers home kickoffs are listed in Central Time, an hour earlier than the Eastern listings most national schedules lead with.
| Standard time | CST, UTC−6 |
|---|---|
| Daylight time | CDT, UTC−5 |
| IANA zone | America/Chicago |
| vs New York | +1 h |
| vs Denver | −1 h |
| vs Los Angeles | −2 h |
Time in Wisconsin cities
Every page below has a live clock plus sunrise, sunset, and DST details for that city.
Frequently asked questions
Is all of Wisconsin in the same time zone?
Yes — the whole state is on Central Time, matching Chicago and Minneapolis exactly.
What is the time difference between Wisconsin and New York?
Wisconsin is 1 hour behind New York all year: noon in Milwaukee is 1:00 PM in New York. Full chart: CST to EST.
Does Wisconsin observe daylight saving time?
Yes. Clocks go forward at 2:00 AM on the second Sunday of March and back on the first Sunday of November. Dates through 2030: DST page.