US Area Codes: Where They Are and Who Calls From Them
Any US number, with +1 in front
Twenty US area codes, one lookup
Start with the US area code to see where a number was issued, then check the exact number for its carrier and complaint record.
The 20 US area codes of the biggest cities
These are the main area codes of the 20 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. For each one we combine NANPA numbering data (who holds the exchanges and which other codes are issued in the same places) with FCC consumer complaints and FTC Do Not Call reports, so you can see what people actually report about calls from it.
| Code | Area | Time zone | Same area | FCC complaints | FTC reports (Mar–Jun 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 212 | Manhattan, New York | Eastern Time | 646, 332, 917 | 917 | 591 |
| 213 | Downtown Los Angeles, California | Pacific Time | 323, 738 | 1,377 | 2,214 |
| 312 | Downtown Chicago, Illinois | Central Time | 872 | 1,062 | 1,382 |
| 214 | Dallas, Texas | Central Time | 469, 972, 945 | 902 | 1,770 |
| 713 | Houston, Texas | Central Time | 832, 281, 346 | 533 | 1,693 |
| 202 | Washington, D.C. | Eastern Time | 771 | 3,394 | 3,391 |
| 215 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Eastern Time | 267, 445 | 821 | 1,392 |
| 305 | Miami-Dade and the Florida Keys | Eastern Time | 786, 645 | 692 | 1,877 |
| 404 | Atlanta, Georgia | Eastern Time | 678, 470, 943 | 846 | 1,863 |
| 617 | Boston, Massachusetts | Eastern Time | 857 | 628 | 1,478 |
| 602 | Phoenix, Arizona | Mountain Standard Time all year | 480, 623 | 965 | 1,899 |
| 415 | San Francisco and Marin County, California | Pacific Time | 628 | 807 | 1,501 |
| 909 | the Inland Empire, California (San Bernardino and eastern Los Angeles County) | Pacific Time | 840 | 664 | 1,941 |
| 313 | Detroit, Michigan | Eastern Time | — | 641 | 1,536 |
| 206 | Seattle, Washington | Pacific Time | — | 1,120 | 1,938 |
| 612 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Central Time | — | 476 | 753 |
| 619 | San Diego, California | Pacific Time | 858 | 1,522 | 1,681 |
| 813 | Tampa, Florida | Eastern Time | 656 | 1,071 | 2,724 |
| 303 | Denver and the Front Range, Colorado | Mountain Time | 720, 983 | 2,986 | 2,509 |
| 410 | Baltimore and central and eastern Maryland | Eastern Time | 443, 667 | 648 | 1,414 |
Complaints count the number shown on caller ID, which scammers can fake.
How US area codes work
Every phone number in the United States has ten digits after the country code +1: a three-digit area code, a three-digit exchange and four more digits. The area code was originally a map: in 1947 the first plan gave each state or large city its own code, and codes like 212, 213 and 312 date from then. As phones multiplied, regions were split into new codes, and since the 1990s most big cities get extra codes on top of the old ones instead, which is why one neighborhood can have several.
The area code only tells you where a number was first issued. People keep their numbers when they move or switch carrier, internet calling services hand out numbers from any area code, and scammers can fake the caller ID entirely. To know more about a specific caller, look up the whole number: its line type, its current carrier and whether other people have reported it.
US area codes with the most complaints
Ranked by FCC consumer complaints over the last 12 months among these 20 codes:
- Area code 303, Denver: 2,342 complaints
- Area code 202, Washington D.C.: 997 complaints
- Area code 213, Los Angeles: 319 complaints
- Area code 813, Tampa: 272 complaints
- Area code 214, Dallas: 243 complaints
- Area code 206, Seattle: 206 complaints
- Area code 305, Miami: 200 complaints
- Area code 415, San Francisco: 199 complaints
Counts include complaints about any number in the code. Spoofed caller IDs mean some complaints name numbers that never made the call.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out where an area code is?
The first three digits of a US number after +1 are the area code. Find it in the table above, or type the full number in the lookup to see the line type, carrier and complaints for that exact number.
Why does one city have several area codes?
When a code runs out of numbers, a new one is added on top of the same area instead of splitting it. That’s why Manhattan has 212, 646, 332 and 917, and why a neighbor’s number can start differently from yours. The table shows the codes issued in the same exchanges.
Which of these area codes get the most complaints right now?
In the last 12 months of FCC data, the codes with the most complaints are 303 (Denver), 202 (Washington D.C.) and 213 (Los Angeles). Each area code page explains what kind of calls people report.
Can I tell who called me from the area code alone?
No. The area code tells you where the number was first issued, not who is calling or where they are now: people keep their numbers when they move and caller ID can be faked. Look up the full number to learn more.
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