How many hours ahead is CST compared to MST?

Central Standard Time is 1 hour ahead of Mountain Standard Time year-round. When Denver is at 9 AM MST, Chicago is at 10 AM CST. Both zones shift to CDT and MDT respectively for daylight saving time on the same schedule, so the 1-hour gap never changes.

What states straddle the Central and Mountain time boundary?

North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas all have counties split between Central and Mountain time. The dividing line generally follows county boundaries rather than state lines. El Paso, Texas is on Mountain Time despite being geographically distant from Denver.

Is there a time difference between Chicago and Dallas?

No. Both Chicago and Dallas are in the Central Time Zone, so they always show the same time. The same applies to Houston, Minneapolis, Kansas City, and New Orleans. All are on CST in winter and CDT in summer.

CST vs MST: Time Difference and Conversion

February 7, 2026

Related Tools

Related Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

How many hours ahead is CST compared to MST?: Central Standard Time is 1 hour ahead of Mountain Standard Time year-round. When Denver is at 9 AM MST, Chicago is at 10 AM CST. Both zones shift to CDT and MDT respectively for daylight saving time on the same schedule, so the 1-hour gap never changes.
What states straddle the Central and Mountain time boundary?: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas all have counties split between Central and Mountain time. The dividing line generally follows county boundaries rather than state lines. El Paso, Texas is on Mountain Time despite being geographically distant from Denver.
Is there a time difference between Chicago and Dallas?: No. Both Chicago and Dallas are in the Central Time Zone, so they always show the same time. The same applies to Houston, Minneapolis, Kansas City, and New Orleans. All are on CST in winter and CDT in summer.