Area Code 315
New York
Area code 315 serves New York, primarily Syracuse, in the Eastern Time (ET) time zone. It has served the region since 01-Jan-1947.
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 680 (Syracuse).
In service since: 01-Jan-1947
Demographics & Economics
- Total Population
- 2,059,873
- Population Density
- 96 people/sq minear U.S. average (U.S.: 93 people/sq mi)
- Median Household Income
- $68,819near U.S. median (U.S.: $75,144)
- Poverty Rate
- 13.7%above U.S. average (U.S.: 11.5%)
- Unemployment Rate
- 4.9%above U.S. average (U.S.: 3.6%)
- Education Attainment
- Bachelor's Degree+29.0%below U.S. average (U.S.: 33.7%)High School or Lower33.9%
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
NY
Major Cities
- Syracuse
- Utica
- Rome
- Auburn
- Watertown
- Oswego
- Fort Drum
- Geneva
- Fulton
- De Witt
- Oneida
- Massena
- Fairmount
- Ogdensburg
- Newark
- Potsdam
- Baldwinsville
- Ilion
- Herkimer
- Canton
- Seneca Falls
- Radisson
- North Syracuse
- Solvay
and 202 more cities
Historical Timeline of Area Code 315
Area code 315 was created on January 1, 1947, as one of the original 86 North American area codes, serving central New York from the Canadian border southward to the Pennsylvania state line. After a 1954 split created area code 607, the code served its region unchanged for over 45 years before entering the longest numbering exhaust deferral process in U.S. history, with its projected exhaustion pushed back four times between 2002 and 2017. Source: Wikipedia
Key milestones:
- 1947: Created as one of the original 86 NPAs. Covered all of central New York from the Canadian border to Pennsylvania, including Syracuse and Binghamton. Source: Wikipedia
- 1954: Split to create area code 607. The southern portion, including Binghamton, was combined with southeastern territory from area code 716. Source: Wikipedia
- 1999: NANPA projected 315 exhaust by Q3 2002. FCC granted NY PSC delegated authority for number conservation under Order 99-247. Source: NY PSC Press Release
- 2000: NY PSC implemented statewide number pooling and NXX code reclamation, extending the exhaust date significantly. Source: NY PSC Press Release
- 2007: NANPA updated exhaust projection to Q3 2010. NY PSC instituted Case 07-C-1486 on December 20, 2007. Source: NY PSC Order
- 2008: Staff White Paper issued March 3, 2008 with 4 relief options. 14 public hearings held. ALJ Recommended Decision (Nov 26, 2008) favored overlay. Source: NY PSC Order
- 2015: NY PSC approved overlay July 16, 2015. NANPA assigned area code 680 on July 21, 2015. Source: NY PSC Press Release
- 2017: Mandatory 10-digit dialing began February 11, 2017. Area code 680 activated March 11, 2017, the first overlay in upstate New York. Source: NY PSC Press Release
- 2023: NY PSC clarified permanent intercept message requirement no longer needed for 315 and area code 518 overlays. Source: NY PSC Order
The 680 overlay activated 70 years after the original 315 creation, capping a regulatory process that began in 1999 and involved over a decade of conservation measures, public hearings, and procedural suspensions driven by economic conditions.
Regulatory History
Area code 315 has undergone 8 significant regulatory events over 24 years, from the FCC's 1999 delegation of conservation authority to the NY PSC's 2023 clarification on intercept messages. The regulatory timeline centers on NY PSC Case 07-C-1486, a proceeding that spanned from 2007 to 2023 and evaluated overlay versus geographic split options before approving the 315/680 overlay. Source: NY PSC Order
| Year | Event | Docket | Regulatory Action & Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Conservation authority granted | FCC CC Docket No. 96-98, Order 99-247 | FCC granted NY PSC delegated authority for thousands-block pooling, NXX code reclamation, numbering allocation standards, and carrier auditing. Instrumental in extending 315 exhaust from 2002 to 2010+. |
| 2007 | Relief proceeding instituted | NY PSC Case 07-C-1486 | NY PSC instituted proceeding to investigate area code relief options for the 315 region. NANPA projected exhaust by Q3 2010. Source: NY PSC Order |
| 2008 | Staff White Paper and PULP petition denial | NY PSC Case 07-C-1486 | Staff issued 4 relief options (3 geographic splits, 1 overlay). 14 public hearings held. PSC denied PULP petition arguing more conservation could extend exhaust. Confirmed 656 of 792 NXX codes assigned. Source: NY PSC Order |
| 2008 | ALJ Recommended Decision | NY PSC Case 07-C-1486 | Administrative Law Judge recommended overlay as the fairest and most equitable solution, allowing all existing customers to retain their current phone numbers. |
| 2009 | Proceeding suspended | NY PSC Case 07-C-1486 | Proceeding suspended June 15, 2009 due to economic conditions, extending projected exhaust to Q4 2013. |
| 2015 | Overlay approved | NY PSC Case 07-C-1486 | NY PSC approved all-services overlay for 315 region covering 18 counties. Ordered carriers to file implementation plans within 45 days including 11-month permissive dialing period. Source: NY PSC Press Release |
| 2015 | 680 area code assigned | NANPA Planning Letter | NANPA assigned area code 680 as overlay for 315. Neustar filed planning letter August 21, 2015 with implementation timeline: permissive dialing March 12, 2016, mandatory February 11, 2017, activation March 11, 2017. Source: NANPA |
| 2023 | Intercept message clarification | NY PSC Case 07-C-1486 | NY PSC clarified permanent intercept message requirement no longer needed for 315 and 518 overlays due to widespread 10-digit dialing adoption, 988 implementation, and technical issues with Verizon DMS switches. Source: NY PSC Order |
County Coverage
Population-weighted county share based on aggregated ZCTA population (100% = total mapped population for area code 315).
| County | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Onondaga, NY | 567,433 | 27.5% |
| Oneida, NY | 270,521 | 13.1% |
| Herkimer, NY | 171,913 | 8.3% |
| Cayuga, NY | 162,595 | 7.9% |
| Jefferson, NY | 133,114 | 6.5% |
| Oswego, NY | 132,012 | 6.4% |
| St. Lawrence, NY | 114,230 | 5.5% |
| Madison, NY | 102,260 | 5.0% |
| Wayne, NY | 102,081 | 5.0% |
| Lewis, NY | 89,593 | 4.3% |
| Seneca, NY | 61,063 | 3.0% |
| Ontario, NY | 59,344 | 2.9% |
| Yates, NY | 36,117 | 1.8% |
| Monroe, NY | 23,002 | 1.1% |
| Otsego, NY | 9,961 | 0.5% |
| Chenango, NY | 7,732 | 0.4% |
| Cortland, NY | 7,059 | 0.3% |
| Fulton, NY | 4,097 | 0.2% |
| Tompkins, NY | 2,707 | 0.1% |
| Franklin, NY | 1,363 | 0.1% |
| Steuben, NY | 1,147 | 0.1% |
| Hamilton, NY | 529 | 0.0% |
Area Code 315 Family Tree
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Area code 315 was originally assigned in 01-Jan-1947 to serve NY. Over the years, it has generated 1 descendant area code through a combination of geographic splits and overlays as demand for telephone numbers grew.
Call Context
This area code spans a mix of urban centers and rural communities across NY, with Syracuse as a primary city.
Nearby Area Codes
Area codes geographically closest to 315.
Other Area Codes in New York
Area codes that also serve New York, linked for easy comparison.