Area Code 219
Indiana
Area code 219 serves Indiana, primarily Hammond, in the Eastern Time (ET) time zone. It has served the region since 01-Jan-1948.
Area Code Splits
Parts of this area code’s original geographic region were later assigned new area codes through splits. When a split occurs, some customers in the original area code region are assigned the new area code.
Split into: area code 260 (Fort Wayne), area code 574 (South Bend).
Demographics & Economics
- Total Population
- 1,091,700
- Population Density
- 221 people/sq miabove U.S. average (U.S.: 93 people/sq mi)
- Median Household Income
- $68,985near U.S. median (U.S.: $75,144)
- Poverty Rate
- 12.3%near U.S. average (U.S.: 11.5%)
- Unemployment Rate
- 5.4%above U.S. average (U.S.: 3.6%)
- Education Attainment
- Bachelor's Degree+25.2%below U.S. average (U.S.: 33.7%)High School or Lower39.3%
Statistics are population-weighted aggregations from Census ACS 5-year estimates. Population figures are approximate — see Sources & Methodology for details on how area code populations are derived.
See how this area code compares to all US area codes in the Statistics dashboard.
Time Zone
- Eastern Time (ET)
NANPA Relief Status
According to the latest NANPA analysis (July 2026), this area code is not currently listed as exhausting within the next 36 months. No relief planning is in progress for this NPA.
Source: NANPA NPA Relief Planning Reports · See all relief planning statuses
Current Time
Prefix Utilization
Geographic Coverage
State
IN
Major Cities
- Hammond
- Gary
- Portage
- Merrillville
- Valparaiso
- Crown Point
- Michigan City
- Hobart
- Schererville
- East Chicago
- Highland
- Munster
- La Porte
- St. John
- Dyer
- Griffith
- Cedar Lake
- Chesterton
- Lake Station
- Lowell
- Winfield
- Lakes of the Four Seasons
- South Haven
- Ross
and 64 more cities
Historical Timeline of Area Code 219
Area code 219 has undergone three major regulatory events since its creation in 1948, including the first area code split in North American Numbering Plan history and the first three-way geographic split ever approved by a state utility commission. Northwest Indiana retained 219 after a 2001 lottery, while area codes 260 and 574 were created for the Fort Wayne and South Bend regions. Source: Telecom Indiana.
Key milestones:
- 1947: The original NANP was established. Indiana received area codes 317 (northern/central two-thirds) and 812 (southern third).
- 1948: The first area code split in NANP history. AT&T carved 219 from 317 to serve northern Indiana, including Gary, Hammond, East Chicago, South Bend, Elkhart, and Fort Wayne. This was the 87th area code in service and the first created after the original 86 (Source: Telecom Indiana).
- 1999: IURC opened investigation into 219 area code relief and implemented a number rationing procedure.
- 2001: June 14: IURC approved a three-way geographic split (Cause No. 41535) by 3-1 vote. July 11: A lottery assigned area codes using index cards drawn from a glass bowl. Area A (northwest) drew 219; Area C (Fort Wayne) drew 260; Area B (South Bend) was left with 574 (Source: IURC). October 17: Boundary modifications moved La Porte County communities to 219 and Noble County communities to 260 (Source: IURC).
- 2002: January 15: Permissive dialing began. June 14: Mandatory dialing of 574 and 260 started. 219 was retained by northwest Indiana as the sole area code serving the region (Source: IURC).
- 2021: Area code 219 transitioned to mandatory 10-digit dialing on October 24, per FCC Order 20-100, to enable nationwide 988 dialing for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Source: IURC).
Area code 219 now serves as the only area code for northwest Indiana, covering a population of over one million across cities including Hammond, Gary, Portage, Merrillville, Valparaiso, and Crown Point. Unlike Indiana's other original codes, 219 has never required an overlay thanks to the numbering capacity freed by the 2001 three-way split.
Regulatory History
Area code 219 has undergone significant regulatory events governed primarily by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) and the FCC. The IURC chose a three-way geographic split over an industry-recommended overlay to maximize numbering longevity, and the code transitioned to mandatory 10-digit dialing in 2021 for the 988 Lifeline. Source: OUCC Indiana Area Codes
| Year | Event | Docket | Regulatory Action & Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Three-Way Geographic Split Approved | Cause No. 41535 | IURC approved split of 219 into three regions by 3-1 vote. Industry had recommended overlay; OUCC recommended two-way split. IURC chose three-way split for maximum longevity (Source: IURC) |
| 2001 | Area Code Assignment Lottery | Cause No. 41535 | Lottery using index cards from glass bowl: Area A (NW Indiana) drew 219, Area C (Fort Wayne) drew 260, Area B (South Bend) left with 574 (Source: IURC) |
| 2001 | Boundary Modification Order | Cause No. 41535 | Communities petitioned for reassignment: La Porte, Rolling Prairie, Westville, Union Mills, Hanna moved to 219 (LaPorte County unity); Ligonier, Cromwell moved to 260 (Noble County unity). Permissive dialing set for Jan 15, 2002 (Source: IURC) |
| 2002 | Mandatory Dialing of New Area Codes | Cause No. 41535 | Mandatory dialing of 574 and 260 began. Northwest Indiana retained 219. Split projected to provide ~20 years of numbering relief (Source: IURC) |
| 2021 | Mandatory 10-Digit Dialing (988 Lifeline) | FCC 20-100 | Area codes 219 and 574 transitioned to mandatory 10-digit dialing per FCC Order 20-100, enabling nationwide dialing of 988 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Source: IURC) |
County Coverage
Population-weighted county share based on aggregated ZCTA population (100% = total mapped population for area code 219).
| County | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Lake, IN | 513,166 | 47.0% |
| Porter, IN | 338,559 | 31.0% |
| LaPorte, IN | 111,024 | 10.2% |
| Jasper, IN | 58,196 | 5.3% |
| Newton, IN | 36,747 | 3.4% |
| White, IN | 18,851 | 1.7% |
| Pulaski, IN | 7,797 | 0.7% |
| Benton, IN | 6,362 | 0.6% |
| Starke, IN | 998 | 0.1% |
Area Code 219 Family Tree
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Area code 219 was originally assigned in 01-Jan-1948 to serve IN. Over the years, it has generated 2 descendant area codes through a combination of geographic splits and overlays as demand for telephone numbers grew.
Call Context
This area code covers a metropolitan region in IN with moderate to high population density, centered on Hammond and surrounding communities.
Nearby Area Codes
Area codes geographically closest to 219.
Other Area Codes in Indiana
Area codes that also serve Indiana, linked for easy comparison.