Area Code 256

Alabama

Area code 256 serves Alabama, primarily Huntsville, in the Central Time (CT) time zone. It has served the region since 23-Mar-1998.

Overlay Area Code

This area code is part of an overlay region, meaning the same geographic area is served by multiple area codes. Overlay codes were introduced to meet growing demand for phone numbers without requiring existing customers to change their numbers.

This area code shares its geographic region with: area code 938 (Huntsville).

In service since: 23-Mar-1998

Learn more about overlay and split area codes →

Demographics & Economics

Total Population: 2,413,984
Population Density: 88 people/sq mi
near U.S. average (U.S.: 93 people/sq mi)
Median Household Income: $60,040
below U.S. median (U.S.: $75,144)
Poverty Rate: 14.4%
above U.S. average (U.S.: 11.5%)
Unemployment Rate: 4.3%
above U.S. average (U.S.: 3.6%)
Education Attainment: Bachelor's Degree+
24.4%
below U.S. average (U.S.: 33.7%)
High School or Lower
36.2%

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 income ranking and density ranking.

Time Zone

Central Time (CT)

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

Central Time (CT)

Prefix Utilization

Geographic Coverage

State

Major Cities

Huntsville
Madison
Decatur
Florence
Gadsden
Athens
Albertville
Oxford
Anniston
Cullman
Muscle Shoals
Scottsboro
Hartselle
Talladega
Fort Payne
Jacksonville
Sylacauga
Boaz
Russellville
Saks
Meridianville
Southside
Sheffield
Tuscumbia

and 166 more cities

Area Code 256 geographic coverage map (light mode)

Historical Timeline of Area Code 256

Area code 256 was created on March 23, 1998, via a split from Alabama's original area code 205. It was assigned to serve northern Alabama and was projected to have a 12-year lifespan before number exhaustion. The 938 overlay was approved in 2009 and activated in 2010, extending the service life of the 256 numbering pool. Source: NANPA PL-389.

Key milestones:

1947: Alabama designated as a single NPA with area code 205 as part of the original North American Numbering Plan.
1995: Area code 334 created for southeastern Alabama, the first split from the original 205.
1998: March 23: Area code 256 activated via split from 205, covering northern Alabama. Permissive use of 205 allowed through September 28, 1998. Source: Wikipedia
2009: March 3: Alabama PSC unanimously approved the 938 overlay (Docket 31095), choosing overlay over a geographic split that would have created four separate area codes. November 7: Permissive 10-digit dialing began. Source: Gadsden Times
2010: June 5: Mandatory 10-digit dialing implemented. July 10: Area code 938 overlay activated. Source: NANPA PL-389

The 256/938 overlay is the only instance of overlay-based relief in Alabama, with the PSC explicitly selecting this method to avoid the disruption of a multi-code geographic split.

Regulatory History

Area code 256 has undergone several significant regulatory events across state and federal levels. The Alabama PSC and NANPA coordinated the creation of 256 in 1998 and the 938 overlay in 2010. Source: NANPA PL-389

Year	Event	Docket	Regulatory Action & Impact
1998	Creation of 256	NANPA PL-110	Split from area code 205 to serve northern Alabama. Permissive use of 205 allowed through September 28, 1998. Source: Wikipedia
2009	Overlay approval	Docket 31095	Alabama PSC unanimously approved 938 overlay for area code 256. Chose overlay over geographic split to avoid creating four new area codes. Source: Gadsden Times
2009	Permissive 10-digit dialing	NANPA PL-389	Permissive 10-digit dialing began November 7, 2009, in the 256/938 region. Source: NANPA
2010	Mandatory 10-digit dialing	NANPA PL-389	Mandatory 10-digit dialing implemented June 5, 2010. Source: NANPA
2010	938 overlay activation	NANPA PL-389	Area code 938 activated July 10, 2010, as all-services overlay for 256. Source: NANPA

County Coverage

Population-weighted county share based on aggregated ZCTA population (100% = total mapped population for area code 256).

County	Population	Share
Madison, AL	433,431	18.0%
Morgan, AL	180,156	7.5%
Limestone, AL	175,425	7.3%
Marshall, AL	148,190	6.1%
Cullman, AL	143,656	6.0%
DeKalb, AL	141,293	5.9%
Calhoun, AL	131,900	5.5%
Etowah, AL	122,822	5.1%
Lauderdale, AL	102,678	4.3%
Talladega, AL	96,839	4.0%
Cherokee, AL	94,617	3.9%
Colbert, AL	81,642	3.4%
Lawrence, AL	78,497	3.3%
Jackson, AL	74,008	3.1%
Clay, AL	72,162	3.0%
Blount, AL	57,374	2.4%
Coosa, AL	54,267	2.2%
Cleburne, AL	48,869	2.0%
Franklin, AL	47,951	2.0%
Tallapoosa, AL	45,546	1.9%
Randolph, AL	27,905	1.2%
Elmore, AL	20,909	0.9%
Winston, AL	20,317	0.8%
Chambers, AL	4,921	0.2%
Walker, AL	3,237	0.1%
Lee, AL	2,550	0.1%
Marion, AL	1,522	0.1%
St. Clair, AL	1,300	0.1%

Area Code 256 Family Tree

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Total Codes

Splits

Overlays

Max Depth

All Descendants

Code ▲	State	Type	In Service	Parent
938	AL	overlay	10-Jul-2010	256

Area code 256 was originally assigned in 23-Mar-1998 to serve AL. Over the years, it has generated 1 descendant area code through a combination of geographic splits and overlays as demand for telephone numbers grew.