Area Code 337

Louisiana

Area code 337 serves Louisiana, primarily Lafayette, in the Central Time (CT) time zone. It was created from a split of area code 318.

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 318 (Shreveport).

In service since: 11-Oct-1999

Learn more about overlay and split area codes →

Demographics & Economics

Total Population: 1,572,158
Population Density: 58 people/sq mi
below U.S. average (U.S.: 93 people/sq mi)
Median Household Income: $57,811
below U.S. median (U.S.: $75,144)
Poverty Rate: 19.2%
above U.S. average (U.S.: 11.5%)
Unemployment Rate: 5.8%
above U.S. average (U.S.: 3.6%)
Education Attainment: Bachelor's Degree+
20.9%
below U.S. average (U.S.: 33.7%)
High School or Lower
43.0%

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

Lafayette
Lake Charles
New Iberia
Sulphur
Youngsville
Opelousas
Broussard
Crowley
Moss Bluff
Abbeville
Carencro
DeRidder
Jennings
Eunice
Scott
Prien
Fort Polk South
Breaux Bridge
Rayne
Franklin
Ville Platte
Leesville
St. Martinville
Carlyss

and 76 more cities

Area Code 337 geographic coverage map (light mode)

Historical Timeline of Area Code 337

Area code 337 was created on October 11, 1999, as a geographic split from area code 318 to serve southwestern Louisiana, including the Acadiana region and Lake Charles. The code entered permissive dialing immediately and transitioned to mandatory 10-digit dialing on March 13, 2000. A second dialing change occurred in 2021 when the FCC mandated 10-digit dialing for the 988 Suicide Prevention Hotline, affecting 337 and requiring Louisiana to issue TIN 21-01. NANPA projects 337 will not exhaust until Q4 2042. Source: NANPA PL-187

Key milestones:

1947: Louisiana assigned area code 504 as part of the original 86 North American area codes. According to NANPA records.
1957: Area code 318 created in a split from 318, covering most of Louisiana west of the Mississippi River. Source: Wikipedia
1999: Area code 337 created on October 11, 1999, as a geographic split from 318, covering southwestern Louisiana (Acadiana and Lake Charles regions). NANPA Planning Letter PL-187 was issued July 28, 1999. Source: NANPA PL-187
2000: Mandatory 10-digit dialing for 337 began March 13, 2000, ending the permissive dialing period.
2021: Mandatory 10-digit dialing transition for 337 and 504 due to the 988 Suicide Prevention Hotline mandate. Permissive dialing began April 24, 2021; mandatory October 24, 2021. Source: Louisiana TIN 21-01
2023: LPSC approved area code 457 as an overlay for parent code 318 (Docket U-36659). 337 remains unaffected. Source: LPSC
2025: 457 overlay activated for 318 region on September 25, 2025, the first overlay in Louisiana history. 337 remains standalone.
2042: NANPA projects 337 number exhaustion in Q4 2042. According to NANPA October 2024 exhaust analysis.

Regulatory History

Area code 337 has been affected by five key regulatory actions since its creation in 1999, from the original NANPA planning letter approving the split to the FCC's 988 mandate requiring 10-digit dialing. Source: NANPA PL-187

Year	Event	Docket	Regulatory Action & Impact
1999	Split Approval	PL-187	NANPA approved the split of 318 NPA creating area code 337 for southwestern Louisiana. Permissive dialing began October 11, 1999; mandatory dialing March 13, 2000. Source: NANPA
2020	988 Lifeline Mandate	FCC 20-122	FCC established 988 as the nationwide Suicide Prevention Lifeline, requiring area codes with 988 as an assigned central office code (including 337) to transition to mandatory 10-digit dialing by October 24, 2021. Source: FCC
2021	State Dialing Transition	TIN 21-01	Louisiana Division of Administration issued notice confirming 10-digit dialing transition for 337 and 504: permissive dialing April 24, 2021; mandatory October 24, 2021. Source: Louisiana Division of Administration
2023	Parent Code Overlay Approved	U-36659	LPSC approved area code 457 as an overlay for parent code 318, effective September 25, 2025. First overlay in Louisiana history. Area code 337 not affected. Source: LPSC
2023	Overlay Formalization	PL-617	NANPA formalized the 318/457 overlay, referencing PL-188 (related to the original 318/337 split). Confirms 337 remains unaffected by the 457 overlay. According to NANPA PL-617.

County Coverage

Population-weighted county share based on aggregated ZCTA population (100% = total mapped population for area code 337).

County	Population	Share
Lafayette, LA	351,056	22.3%
Calcasieu, LA	226,053	14.4%
Vermilion, LA	170,459	10.8%
Iberia, LA	145,986	9.3%
St. Landry, LA	139,632	8.9%
Acadia, LA	119,641	7.6%
St. Martin, LA	110,775	7.0%
Vernon, LA	65,739	4.2%
Jefferson Davis, LA	53,250	3.4%
Evangeline, LA	51,063	3.2%
Beauregard, LA	49,210	3.1%
Cameron, LA	38,816	2.5%
St. Mary, LA	25,598	1.6%
Allen, LA	20,506	1.3%
Sabine, LA	3,792	0.2%
Pointe Coupee, LA	582	0.0%