---
title: How Many Area Codes Are There in the United States?
description: How many area codes are in the US? There are 405. Here's the breakdown, why you dial 10 digits now, and what your area code really tells you.
image: https://blog.redpocket.com/hubfs/USA.jpg
---

[![3](https://blog.redpocket.com/hubfs/3.svg "3")](https://www.redpocket.com/)

Open main menu Close main menu

- [Plans](https://www.redpocket.com/plans)
- [Shop](https://www.redpocket.com/shop)
- [Activate](https://www.redpocket.com/activate)
- [Deals](https://www.redpocket.com/specialoffers)
- [Help](https://www.redpocket.com/contact-us)
- [Coverage](https://www.redpocket.com/coverage)
- [Blog](https://blog.redpocket.com/blog/)

[Red Pocket Mobile](https://blog.redpocket.com/blog/tag/red-pocket-mobile)

# How Many Area Codes Are There in the United States?

[Red Pocket Mobile](https://blog.redpocket.com/blog/author/red-pocket-mobile)

[Share this blog post on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=I+found+this+interesting+blog+post&url=https://blog.redpocket.com/blog/how-many-area-codes-in-the-us) [Share this blog post on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.redpocket.com/blog/how-many-area-codes-in-the-us) [Share this blog post on LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.redpocket.com/blog/how-many-area-codes-in-the-us)

![](https://blog.redpocket.com/hubfs/USA.jpg)

**Key Takeaways**

- The US has 405 area codes in total: 378 tied to geographic regions and 27 reserved for non-geographic uses
- Many areas moved to mandatory 10-digit dialing so the 988 crisis line could work as a three-digit code.
- Thanks to number portability, your area code no longer reliably indicates where you live.

There are 405 area codes in the United States. That breaks down into 378 geographic area codes and 27 non-geographic codes

For context, the wider [North American Numbering Plan](https://secure.nanpa.com/public-report/npa/geographic-use), which also covers Canada and much of the Caribbean, has more than 480 area codes in service across 20 countries. Canada has 55 geographic codes and two non-geographic ones.

That total shifts as new codes come into service, so the number you'll see quoted moves a little year to year.

## **What Are Area Codes?**

An area code is the first three digits of a standard US phone number. Officially, [numbers follow the format NPA-NXX-XXXX](https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/areacodes/), which breaks down like this:

- **NPA** is the three-digit area code, formally called a Numbering Plan Area, identifying a geographic region
- **NXX** is the three-digit prefix, also called the central office or exchange code, identifying a specific switching center within that area code
- **XXXX** is the four-digit line number identifying an individual line

That's 10 digits altogether. You'll often see numbers written with a 1 in front, as in 1-555-123-4567, but that leading 1 is the country code for the North American Numbering Plan, not part of your actual number. It's shared with Canada and much of the Caribbean, not unique to the US.

### **What Are the Types of Area Codes?**

All area codes are one of two types:

- **Local area codes,** which denote phone numbers in a specific geographic area of the country
- **Toll-free area codes,** which are 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, and 888. These are used by businesses, which is why so many company phone numbers begin with 1-800. Unfortunately, they're also often [used by spam callers](https://blog.redpocket.com/blog/what-is-a-spam-call).

### **What Do Area Codes Do?**

Area codes let providers route calls by dividing the country into numbering regions. They also multiply the number of available numbers, because the same seven-digit sequence can exist in dozens of different area codes without conflict. Someone in one region and someone in another can share the last seven digits of their number and still be reachable as two distinct people.

## **How Are Area Codes Split Up?**

[Area codes are divided into geographic areas](https://www.nanpa.com/reports/npa-reports) throughout the U.S.

**Northeast U.S.** (65 area codes total)

| **State** |
| --- |
| Vermont |
| Connecticut |
| Maine |
| Massachusetts |
| New Hampshire |
| New Jersey |
| New York |
| Rhode Island |
| Pennsylvania (Including Philadelphia) |

*As of October 2026, New York has the most area codes in this region, at 23.*

**Midwest U.S.** (92 area codes total)

| **State** |
| --- |
| Ohio |
| North Dakota |
| Illinois (Including Chicago) |
| Missouri |
| Minnesota |
| Nebraska |
| Michigan |
| Kansas |
| Iowa |
| Indiana |
| Wisconsin |
| South Dakota |

*As of October 2026, Illinois has the most, with 17. North Dakota and South Dakota each have only 1.*

**Southern U.S.** (137 area codes total)

| **State** |
| --- |
| North Carolina |
| South Carolina |
| Alabama |
| Arkansas |
| Tennessee |
| Virginia |
| West Virginia |
| Delaware |
| Florida |
| Georgia |
| Kentucky |
| Louisiana |
| Maryland |
| Mississippi |
| Oklahoma |
| Texas |

*Notable codes: 512 (Austin), 281 (Houston).*

**Western U.S.** (74 area codes total)

| **State** |
| --- |
| Idaho |
| California |
| Colorado |
| Arizona |
| Nevada |
| Montana |
| Utah |
| Oregon |
| New Mexico |
| Washington |
| Wyoming |

*As of October 2026, California has the most, at 41.*

### **Who Decides When New Area Codes Are Implemented?**

All new area codes are decided on and implemented by the North American Numbering Plan Administrator, or NANPA. Somos, Inc currently holds this office.

However, the [Public Service Commission](https://psc.ga.gov/about-the-psc/consumer-corner/telephone/general-information/area-codes/) (PSC) determines the method used to implement a new area code, such as a geographical split or overlay.

For instance, if a city grows rapidly, the PSC may recommend the overlay method. Furthermore, the PSC is responsible for organizing transition periods, customer notifications, and education to help prevent confusion caused by dialing the wrong area code.

Generally, the overlay method for generating new area codes is used only when there is a massive increase in demand for phone numbers in a concentrated geographic area, such as New York City. Otherwise, a new city or local region will simply be assigned a region area code, as broken down above, and given an area code.

## **Why You Have To Dial 10 Digits Now**

If you remember being able to dial seven digits for a local call and wondered when that stopped, here's the answer.

In 2020, the FCC designated 988 as a nationwide three-digit code for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which went live in July 2022. The problem was that some regions still used seven-digit local dialing, and in those places, 988 was also used as the first three digits of ordinary phone numbers. A phone system can't tell whether someone dialing 988 wants the crisis line or a neighbor.

The fix was to move affected regions to mandatory 10-digit dialing. [A 10-digit call means entering both the three-digit area code and the seven-digit number, even when the area code matches your own](https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/ten-digit-dialing). Dozens of area codes across the country transitioned starting in October 2021.

Two useful things to know about that change. Nobody's phone number changed, which was a deliberate goal of the approach. And it's the reason older equipment like alarm systems, medical alert devices, and speed dialers sometimes needed reprogramming, since anything storing seven-digit numbers had to be updated.

If you're on a mobile phone, you likely never noticed, because cell phones have effectively always dialed all 10 digits.

## **How To Find Your Area Code**

If you aren't sure which area code your area covers, go straight to the source. NANPA, the body that administers the numbering plan, [publishes current lists of every geographic and non-geographic area code in service](https://www.nanpa.com/reports/npa-reports), including which codes require 10-digit dialing and which new ones are scheduled but not yet live.

You can look up any individual code there to see the region it serves, when it entered service, and whether it's an overlay of an older code.

For example, area code 475 was put into service in 2009 and is technically an overlay of area code 203. Various Connecticut counties use area code 475, including Fairfield, New Haven, and Litchfield. Those counties include dozens of different cities and towns.

## **Your Area Code Doesn't Say Where You Live Anymore**

Here's the shift that has made area codes far less informative than they used to be.

When numbers were tied to landlines at fixed addresses, an area code told you where someone was. That link has largely dissolved. Number portability means you keep your phone number when you switch providers, and your mobile number travels with you when you move. Someone with a 212 number may not have set foot in Manhattan for a decade.

This has a few practical consequences. An unfamiliar area code on your caller ID tells you very little, which is part of why spam callers spoof local-looking numbers to make you more likely to answer. And when you move across the country, there's usually no requirement to change your number at all. Most people keep theirs.

It also means an area code carries a bit of personal history. A number picked up in college can follow someone through several states and jobs, which is why plenty of people hold on to numbers that no longer match their current address.

## **Why Don't Some Area Codes Match the State Where You Live?**

You might have an area code that was automatically assigned based on where you purchased the phone or where you received cellular service.

### **How Does Moving Affect Your Area Code?**

If you move, your number and area code stay the same by default. You keep them, which is why so many people end up with an area code from a place they left years ago.

If you'd rather have a number matching your new home, you can request one from your provider. That's a choice rather than a requirement, and worth thinking through, since it means updating everyone who has your old number. Most people simply keep what they have. If you do want to make a change, you can [talk to your provider about your options](https://help.redpocket.com/how-do-i-switch-my-service-to-a-new-phone).

### **How Does Canceling a Phone Plan Affect Your Area Code?**

If you cancel service outright before starting somewhere new, you can lose the number for good, because a number that's no longer active can't be transferred. If you're switching providers and want to keep your number, start the transfer with the new provider first and let your old line close on its own.

## **Get a New Phone Plan With RedPocket**

As you can see, your area code is an integral part of your phone number.

Depending on where you live, you could have one of the hundreds of potential area codes. You might even keep that area code when you switch phone providers to a better plan, like the phone plans offered by RedPocket.

At RedPocket, you can switch to a new phone plan that fits your budget and data needs in no time. We'll even help you keep your old phone number, no matter what the area code is.

[Check out our phone plans today](https://www.redpocket.com/plans)!

## **Frequently Asked Questions**

### **How many area codes are in the US?**

As of October, 2026, there are 405 US area codes: 378 geographic codes and 27 non-geographic codes used for toll-free and other special services. The total changes occasionally as new codes enter service.

### **Which state has the most area codes?**

California, by a comfortable margin, followed by Texas and New York. Densely populated states need more codes because they use more phone numbers, and overlays add new codes without changing anyone's existing number.

### **Why do I have to dial the area code for local calls?**

Because 988 became the national crisis line number. In regions where 988 also began using ordinary phone numbers, seven-digit dialing created ambiguity, so those areas moved to mandatory 10-digit dialing. Nobody's phone number changed as a result.

### **Can I keep my area code if I move?**

Yes. Your number and area code stay with you unless you specifically request a change. That's why plenty of people carry an area code from a state they no longer live in.

### **What's the difference between an overlay and a split?**

A split divides a region and gives some residents a new area code, meaning their numbers change. An overlay adds a second code across the same area, so existing numbers stay put, and only new lines get the new code. Overlays are now the preferred approach.

Sources:

[What You Need To Know About Area Codes | PSC.GA.GOV](https://psc.ga.gov/about-the-psc/consumer-corner/telephone/general-information/area-codes/)

[Area Codes and Numbering | CPUC.CA.GOV](https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/areacodes/)

[NPA Reports | North American Numbering Plan Administration](https://www.nanpa.com/reports/npa-reports)

[Ten-Digit Dialing | Federal Communications Commission](https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/ten-digit-dialing)

[NPA Reports | NANPA](https://www.nanpa.com/reports/npa-reports)

## Related Articles

[![](https://blog.redpocket.com/hubfs/woman%20playing%20game%20in%20smartphone.jpg)](https://blog.redpocket.com/blog/lcd-vs-oled-smartphone-screen-comparison)

[RedPocket Mobile](https://blog.redpocket.com/blog/tag/redpocket-mobile) [Wireless Tips](https://blog.redpocket.com/blog/tag/wireless-tips) [LCD](https://blog.redpocket.com/blog/tag/lcd) [OLED](https://blog.redpocket.com/blog/tag/oled)

### [The Impact of Screen Technology on Your Smartphone Experience: LCD vs. OLED](https://blog.redpocket.com/blog/lcd-vs-oled-smartphone-screen-comparison)

[RedPocket Mobile](https://blog.redpocket.com/blog/author/redpocket-mobile) 

[Read More](https://blog.redpocket.com/blog/lcd-vs-oled-smartphone-screen-comparison)

[![](https://blog.redpocket.com/hubfs/android%20hacks.jpg)](https://blog.redpocket.com/blog/best-android-hacks)

### [The 20 Best Android Hacks You Should Be Using](https://blog.redpocket.com/blog/best-android-hacks)

You love your [Android](https://www.redpocket.com/shop/android) because it works hard for you every day. 

[Red Pocket Mobile](https://blog.redpocket.com/blog/author/red-pocket-mobile) 

[Read More](https://blog.redpocket.com/blog/best-android-hacks)

#### Make the Switch

- [About Us](https://www.redpocket.com/about-us)
- [Wireless Plans](https://www.redpocket.com/plans)
- [Free International Calling](https://www.redpocket.com/international-calling)

#### Get Started

- [Activate Your SIM](https://www.redpocket.com/activate)
- [Configure Your Device](https://www.redpocket.com/configure-handset)
- [Refill Your Account](https://www.redpocket.com/refill)

#### Join Us

- [Become an Affiliate](https://www.ascendpartner.com/affiliate/registration?refid=293483)
- [Become a Dealer](https://www.redpocket.com/dealers)
- [Dealer Login](https://my.redpocketmobile.com/)

#### Explore

- [Government Assistance](https://www.redpocket.com/assist)
- [Contact Us](https://www.redpocket.com/contact-us)
- [Visit Your Account](https://www.redpocket.com/login)

[Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/redpocketmobile/) [Follow us on Twitter](https://twitter.com/RedPocketMobile) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/redpocketmobile/)