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
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.
Unique Facts About Area Code 256
What makes area code 256 different from others in Alabama? Source: Wikipedia.
- First all-services overlay in Alabama: Area code 938 was the first all-services overlay introduced in Alabama, approved unanimously by the Alabama PSC on March 3, 2009 (Docket 31095). No previous Alabama area code had used the overlay method for relief. Source: Gadsden Times
- Overlay chosen over four-way geographic split: The Alabama PSC rejected a proposed geographic split that would have divided the 256 region into four distinct area codes, requiring hundreds of thousands of residents and businesses to change phone numbers on stationery, checks, business cards, and signage. Source: NANPA PL-389
- Projected 12-year lifespan: When created in 1998, area code 256 was projected to have a service life of approximately 12 years before number exhaustion. The 938 overlay arrived in 2010, closely matching this forecast. Source: Wikipedia
- NXX exhaustion projected by Q1 2011: NANPA projected that all available NXX prefixes in area code 256 would be exhausted by the first quarter of 2011, driving the urgency of the 938 overlay implementation in mid-2010. Source: NANPA PL-389
- FCC number pooling authority petitioned: The Alabama PSC petitioned the FCC for number pooling authority in area code 256 as part of its number conservation efforts. Source: Alabama PSC 2009 Annual Report
Area code 256 covers northern Alabama, including Huntsville, Decatur, Florence, Gadsden, and Cullman. The 256/938 overlay region serves a population of approximately 2.4 million across the northern half of the state.
FCC 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 |
Demographics & Economics
- Total Population
- 2,413,984
- Population Density
- 88 people/sq minear U.S. average (U.S.: 94 people/sq mi)
- Median Household Income
- $60,040below U.S. median (U.S.: $78,538)
- Poverty Rate
- 14.4%above U.S. average (U.S.: 12.4%)
- Unemployment Rate
- 4.3%below U.S. average (U.S.: 5.2%)
- Education Attainment
- Bachelor's Degree+24.4%below U.S. average (U.S.: 35.0%)High School or Lower36.2%
Statistics are population-weighted aggregations from Census ACS 5-year estimates.See Sources for details.
Geographic Coverage
State
AL
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
Time Zone
- Central Time (CT)
Current Time
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% |
Call Context
This area code spans a mix of urban centers and rural communities across AL, with Huntsville as a primary city.
Nearby Area Codes
Area codes geographically closest to 256.
Other Area Codes in Alabama
Area codes that also serve Alabama, linked for easy comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about area code 256 and how phone numbering works.
Alabama PSC Docket 31095, Gadsden Times article, NANPA PL-389. 938 was Alabama's first all-services overlay area code.
NANPA PL-110 (referenced), Wikipedia. 256 was split from 205 in 1998.
Phone numbers assigned to area code 256 are tied to where they were originally provisioned — not the caller's current location. This code serving roughly 2414k people covers Huntsville in AL, so a number originally set up there will retain the 256 prefix even if the owner moves or uses VoIP. Mobile phones keep their original number when users relocate, and businesses often adopt local area codes to establish a regional presence.
Start by looking up the area code on this site to understand its geographic context — area code 256 is associated with Huntsville in AL. For caller-specific details, use your carrier's caller ID features or check public directories. If you suspect fraud, you can report it to the FTC. To file a complaint about robocalls or spoofed numbers, visit the FCC Consumer Complaint Center. You can also register with the National Do Not Call Registry.
When an area's available number pool runs low, regulators introduce an "overlay" code covering the same territory. Both codes coexist, and new numbers are assigned from whichever has availability. Area code 256 serves the Huntsville region in AL, where growing demand for phone numbers necessitated an additional code. This area code shares its region with area code 938. Learn more in our overlay vs split guide.