How many area codes are in Central Pennsylvania?

James Wesser
·2 min read

(WHTM) — When dialing the phone or texting someone, you may notice three numbers that come before the actual phone number. Area codes have been around since the 1940s and are apart of the North American Numbering Plan.

But how many does our area in Central Pennsylvania have?

According to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC), an area code is a three-digit code to signal the electronic routing equipment that the call is long distance. Pennsylvania as a whole only had four area codes up until 1997. They were:

  • 814 – For the northwestern portion of the state

  • 412 -For the area near Pittsburgh

  • 717- For the area of Central Pennsylvania

  • 215 -For the Philadelphia area

The PUC states that since the use of cell phones has increased, the demand for other telephone lines has risen. This demand caused the need to create more area codes than just the four that are listed above.

Do not answer calls from these area codes

Area code map, courtesy of the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission
Area code map, courtesy of the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission

Currently, Pennsylvania has 15 area codes, and every area around the Commonwealth has two area codes. The PUC states that once an area has two area codes, callers must dial 10 digits for all calls. If a caller does not dial the area code, the call will not be completed and you will have to hang up and dial again with the code.

For all of the Midstate, the two area codes are 717 and 223. The code 223 was assigned to the Midstate back in 2017 and created something called an area code overlay which is when an area is assigned two codes. That was when all callers were required to use a 10-digit phone number to call out. With an overlay, all current customers keep their area code and telephone number. New phone numbers would possibly be given the new 223 code.

Area code 717 has been in Pennsylvania since the 1940s. It used to encompass the entire central portion of the state. In 1998, the 717 area code was split and a new 570 area code was created. The 570 code covers the northeastern part of the state and portions of central Pennsylvania.

Both 717 and 223 are used in every county in South Central Pennsylvania, with portions of Schuylkill and Berks Counties being a part of it as well. You can see the full overlay map by clicking here.

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