Area Code 252
North Carolina
Area code 252 serves North Carolina, primarily Greenville, in the Eastern Time (ET) time zone. It was created from a split of area code 919.
Split Area Code
This area code was created by splitting an existing area code into separate geographic regions. When a split occurs, some customers in the original area code region are assigned the new area code.
This area code was split from area code 919 (Raleigh).
In service since: 22-Mar-1998
Demographics & Economics
- Total Population
- 1,890,430
- Population Density
- 71 people/sq mibelow U.S. average (U.S.: 93 people/sq mi)
- Median Household Income
- $57,997below U.S. median (U.S.: $75,144)
- Poverty Rate
- 17.4%above U.S. average (U.S.: 11.5%)
- Unemployment Rate
- 6.2%above U.S. average (U.S.: 3.6%)
- Education Attainment
- Bachelor's Degree+22.7%below U.S. average (U.S.: 33.7%)High School or Lower36.1%
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
NC
Major Cities
- Greenville
- Rocky Mount
- Wilson
- New Bern
- Kinston
- Havelock
- Roanoke Rapids
- Henderson
- Tarboro
- Winterville
- Washington
- Kill Devil Hills
- Nashville
- Moyock
- Williamston
- Ayden
- Ahoskie
- Beaufort
- Farmville
- Edenton
- Newport
- Trent Woods
- Emerald Isle
- Kitty Hawk
and 167 more cities
Historical Timeline of Area Code 252
Area code 252 was created on March 22, 1998, as a geographic split from area code 919, covering northeastern North Carolina. The split was one of three North Carolina area codes created in 1998 to address statewide number exhaustion, alongside 828 (split from 704) and 336 (split from 910). A 6-month permissive dialing period ran through September 22, 1998. Source: NANPA PL-NANP-112.
Key milestones:
- 1947: North Carolina assigned original area code 704 covering the entire state
- 1954: Area code 919 created from split of 704, covering eastern and central North Carolina
- 1993: Area code 910 created from split of 919, covering southeastern and central NC
- 1997: NC Utilities Commission declares extraordinary jeopardy due to rapid number consumption; imposes prefix rationing of 5-7 per month (The Virginian-Pilot, Sep 17 1997)
- 1998 (Mar 22): Area code 252 created as geographic split from 919, covering northeastern NC (Rocky Mount LATA). Permissive dialing through September 22, 1998
- 1998 (Jun 1): Area code 828 created from split of 704, covering western NC
- 1998 (Dec 15): Area code 336 created from split of 910, covering Piedmont Triad
- 2022: Area code 472 overlay added to 910 region (October 7, 2022). Area code 252 remains as a standalone code with no overlay
- 2025: NANPA projects 252 exhaust in Q2 2030, revised from Q3 2031 in September 2025 (NANPA October 2025 Exhaust Analysis)
The NC Utilities Commission's extraordinary jeopardy declaration in 1997 and the coordinated triple-split of 252, 828, and 336 in 1998 represented one of the most significant area code relief efforts in the North American Numbering Plan. Source: NCUC 2023 Annual Report.
Regulatory History
Area code 252 has undergone 4 significant regulatory events over 27 years, beginning with the NC Utilities Commission's extraordinary jeopardy declaration in 1997 and most recently with the October 2025 NANPA exhaust analysis projecting Q2 2030 exhaustion. Source: NANPA PL-NANP-112
| Year | Event | Docket | Regulatory Action & Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Extraordinary Jeopardy Declaration | N/A (Commission order) | NC Utilities Commission declared extraordinary jeopardy due to rapid number consumption from fax machines, cell phones, and internet connections. Imposed prefix rationing of 5-7 new prefixes per month until new codes took effect (The Virginian-Pilot, Sep 17 1997) |
| 1998 | NANPA Planning Letter: 919 NPA Split | PL-NANP-112 | Approved split creating area code 252 covering Rocky Mount LATA. Effective March 22, 1998. Permissive dialing through September 22, 1998. Forecast: 252 exhaust in 6 years, 919 exhaust in 4 years (NANPA PL-NANP-112) |
| 2022 | Area Code 472 Overlay Added | N/A | Area code 472 added as overlay to the 910 region on October 7, 2022. Area code 252 remains standalone with no overlay. NC now has 10 area codes (NCUC 2023 Annual Report) |
| 2025 | NANPA Exhaust Analysis Update | October 2025 Analysis | Area code 252 projected to exhaust Q2 2030. Revised from Q3 2031 in September 2025 revision, reflecting 5-quarter acceleration due to increased code assignments (NANPA October 2025 Exhaust Analysis) |
County Coverage
Population-weighted county share based on aggregated ZCTA population (100% = total mapped population for area code 252).
| County | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pitt, NC | 234,496 | 12.4% |
| Edgecombe, NC | 142,067 | 7.5% |
| Beaufort, NC | 139,303 | 7.4% |
| Nash, NC | 133,221 | 7.0% |
| Wilson, NC | 121,046 | 6.4% |
| Craven, NC | 112,731 | 6.0% |
| Jones, NC | 90,956 | 4.8% |
| Lenoir, NC | 88,233 | 4.7% |
| Carteret, NC | 71,631 | 3.8% |
| Greene, NC | 58,935 | 3.1% |
| Halifax, NC | 56,536 | 3.0% |
| Franklin, NC | 54,946 | 2.9% |
| Camden, NC | 52,346 | 2.8% |
| Warren, NC | 51,391 | 2.7% |
| Vance, NC | 50,704 | 2.7% |
| Martin, NC | 48,988 | 2.6% |
| Pasquotank, NC | 40,878 | 2.2% |
| Pamlico, NC | 38,302 | 2.0% |
| Dare, NC | 36,847 | 1.9% |
| Bertie, NC | 30,199 | 1.6% |
| Currituck, NC | 28,622 | 1.5% |
| Perquimans, NC | 27,908 | 1.5% |
| Wayne, NC | 27,662 | 1.5% |
| Hertford, NC | 26,940 | 1.4% |
| Northampton, NC | 22,775 | 1.2% |
| Onslow, NC | 22,252 | 1.2% |
| Chowan, NC | 16,327 | 0.9% |
| Duplin, NC | 13,349 | 0.7% |
| Washington, NC | 12,853 | 0.7% |
| Gates, NC | 10,516 | 0.6% |
| Hyde, NC | 9,107 | 0.5% |
| Johnston, NC | 8,407 | 0.4% |
| Tyrrell, NC | 5,965 | 0.3% |
| Granville, NC | 3,991 | 0.2% |
Area Code 252 Family Tree
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Area code 252 was originally assigned in 22-Mar-1998 to serve NC.
Call Context
This area code spans a mix of urban centers and rural communities across NC, with Greenville as a primary city.
Nearby Area Codes
Area codes geographically closest to 252.
Other Area Codes in North Carolina
Area codes that also serve North Carolina, linked for easy comparison.