Eastern Time (ET) · EST (UTC−5) in winter · EDT (UTC−4) during Daylight Saving Time
The Research Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill) is one of the fastest-growing tech hubs in the US. Apple, Google, Meta, and Epic Games all have major offices here. The area's ET timezone gives it a competitive edge — aligned with Wall Street and DC while being 30-40% cheaper than NYC or SF.
Charlotte is the 2nd largest banking center in the US after New York. Bank of America and Truist are headquartered here, and Wells Fargo's East Coast operations are major. Charlotte's banks manage trillions in assets on ET.
The Wright Brothers' first powered flight took place at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on December 17, 1903. The flight lasted 12 seconds at 10:35 AM — a moment timed on what would become Eastern Standard Time.