The State

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Alabama

Alabama

Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...

 is served by five area codes. When the first area code plan was introduced in 1947, area code 205

Area code 205

205 is the North American telephone area code for central and western Alabama including the cities of Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. Until 1995, this area code served the entire state of Alabama. It then split to form area code 334, and later split again to form area code 256...

 covered the entire state. In 1995, 334

Area code 334

Area code 334 is a NANPA area code in the state of Alabama. It was created on January 15, 1995 as a split from area code 205 The 334 area code was one of the first two area codes not to take the N1X or N0X form in the North American Numbering Plan, along with Washington area code 360, which began...

 was created for the southern half of the state. 205 was divided further in 1998, when north and eastern Alabama were placed under 256

Area code 256

Area codes 256 and 938 are telephone numbering plan codes in the state of Alabama with 256 created on March 23, 1998, as a split from area code 205...

. The southwestern part of the state was split from 334 in 2001, forming area code 251

Area code 251

Area code 251 is a telephone numbering plan code covering southwestern Alabama serving Mobile, Baldwin, and Washington counties and parts of six other counties. It was created on June 18, 2001, as a split from area code 334...

. A fifth area code, 938, overlays 256 as of July 2010.

Current

Area code	Established	Region	Map	Reference
205 Area code 205 205 is the North American telephone area code for central and western Alabama including the cities of Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. Until 1995, this area code served the entire state of Alabama. It then split to form area code 334, and later split again to form area code 256...	January 1, 1947	Central and west central portions of the state including Birmingham Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S... , Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa, Alabama Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010... , Hoover Hoover, Alabama Hoover is a city in Jefferson and Shelby Counties in north central Alabama, in the United States. The largest suburb of Birmingham, the population of the city was 62,742 as of the 2000 census and 81,619 in the 2010 census. Hoover is part of the Birmingham-Hoover, AL MSA and is also included in the... , Northport Northport, Alabama Northport is a city in Tuscaloosa County in the west central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. Located on the Black Warrior River across from downtown Tuscaloosa, it is currently the 24th largest city in Alabama with an estimated population of 23,442 in 2009... , Jasper Jasper, Alabama Jasper is a city in Walker County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 14,659. As of 2011 the population had was 13,857. The city is the county seat of Walker County, and once ranked among the world's leading producers of coal.... , Oneonta Oneonta, Alabama Oneonta is a city in Blount County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 5,576. The city is the county seat of Blount County... , Clanton Clanton, Alabama Clanton is a city in Chilton County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Birmingham–Hoover–Cullman Combined Statistical Area. At the 2000 census the population was 7,800. The city is the county seat of Chilton County.-History:... , and Pell City Pell City, Alabama Pell City is a city in St. Clair County, Alabama, United States. The city is the county seat of St. Clair County along with Ashville. At the 2000 census the population was 9,565. At the 2010 census, the city-limit population jumped to 12,695. -Geography:... . Covered the entire state before the creation of Area code 334.
334 Area code 334 Area code 334 is a NANPA area code in the state of Alabama. It was created on January 15, 1995 as a split from area code 205 The 334 area code was one of the first two area codes not to take the N1X or N0X form in the North American Numbering Plan, along with Washington area code 360, which began...	January 15, 1995	South central and southeastern portions of the state including Montgomery Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city... , Auburn Auburn, Alabama Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama with a 2010 population of 53,380. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area... -Opelika Opelika, Alabama Opelika is a city in and the county seat of Lee County in the east central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area. According to 2010 Census, the population of Opelika was 26,477... , Dothan Dothan, Alabama Dothan is a city located in the southeastern corner of the US state of Alabama, situated approximately west of the Georgia state line and north of Florida. It is the seat of Houston County, with portions extending into nearby Dale County and Henry County... , Valley Valley, Alabama Valley is a city steeped in tradition in Chambers County, Alabama, United States. Valley was incorporated in 1980 combining the four textile mill villages of Fairfax, Langdale, Riverview, and Shawmut... , and Selma Selma, Alabama Selma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Alabama, United States, located on the banks of the Alabama River. The population was 20,512 at the 2000 census.... . Originally covered the entire southern half of the state, until Area code 251 was split off.
256/938	March 23, 1998 July 10, 2010	Northern and east central portions of the state including Huntsville Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census.... -Decatur Decatur, Alabama Decatur is a city in Limestone and Morgan Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The city, affectionately known as "The River City", is located in Northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. It is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County... , Florence-Muscle Shoals, Gadsden Gadsden, Alabama The city of Gadsden is the county seat of Etowah County in the U.S. state of Alabama, and it is located about 65 miles northeast of Birmingham, Alabama. It is the primary city of the Gadsden Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 103,459. Gadsden is closely associated with the... , Anniston Anniston, Alabama Anniston is a city in Calhoun County in the state of Alabama, United States.As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 24,276. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 23,741... , Alexander City Alexander City, Alabama Alexander City is the principal city of the Alexander City Micropolitan Statistical Area, a micropolitan area that covers Coosa and Tallapoosa counties and had a combined population of 53,677 at the 2000 census.... , and Sylacauga Sylacauga, Alabama Sylacauga is a city in Talladega County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 12,616.Nicknames for Sylacauga include: "The Marble City," "Buzzard's Roost" and "Sly Town".... Area code 938 is an overlay of 256. 10 digit dialing began in June 2010 and "938" numbers are assignable as of July 10, 2010.
251 Area code 251 Area code 251 is a telephone numbering plan code covering southwestern Alabama serving Mobile, Baldwin, and Washington counties and parts of six other counties. It was created on June 18, 2001, as a split from area code 334...	June 18, 2001	Southwestern portions of the state including Mobile Mobile, Alabama Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest... , Monroeville Monroeville, Alabama Monroeville is a city in Monroe County, Alabama, United States, the county seat of Monroe County. At the 2000 census its population was 6,862. It is known as the home town of two prominent writers of the post World War II period, Truman Capote and Harper Lee, who were childhood friends in the... , Atmore Atmore, Alabama Atmore is a city in Escambia County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 7,676. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 7,530. The city was named for Mr. C.P. Atmore.... , Gulf Shores Gulf Shores, Alabama -External links:*... , and Daphne Daphne, Alabama Daphne is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States, on the eastern shoreline of Mobile Bay. The city is located along I-10, 11 miles east of Mobile and 150 miles southwest of the state capital of Montgomery. The United States Census 2000 lists the population of the city as 16,581 making...

Proposed

• 659 — Area code 659 was proposed as an overlay for the areas covered by the 205 area code in 2001. The proposal was subsequently put on hold indefinitely by the Alabama Public Service Commission after it was determined demand for new numbers within the existing 205 service area did not warrant the overlay. As of March 2008, the North American Numbering Plan Administrator
  Nanpa
  , also transliterated as nampa, in Japanese culture is a type of flirting and seduction popular among teenagers and people in their twenties and thirties. When Japanese women pursue men in a fashion similar to nanpa, it is called .-Etymology:...
  
  does not rate the 205 area as being in "jeopardy" of exhausting its numbers.