Area Code 346
Texas
Area code 346 serves Texas, primarily Houston, in the Central Time (CT) time zone. It is an overlay area code sharing territory with area code 713.
Overlay Area Codes
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 281 (Houston), area code 621 (Houston), area code 713 (Houston), area code 832 (Houston).
In service since: 01-Jul-2014
Historical Timeline of Area Code 346
Area code 346 entered service on July 1, 2014 as the fourth overlay for the Houston metropolitan area, joining area code 713 (1947), area code 281 (1996), and area code 832 (1999). The Public Utility Commission of Texas announced 346 on May 9, 2013, after NANPA projected the three existing codes would exhaust by September 30, 2014. A fifth overlay, area code 621, was added on January 23, 2025. Source: Wikipedia
Key milestones:
- 1947: Area code 713 established as one of the original four Texas area codes, covering southeastern Texas from the Sabine River to the Brazos Valley. Source: Wikipedia
- 1983: Area code 409 split from 713 on March 19, reducing 713 to the immediate Houston area. Source: Wikipedia
- 1996: Area code 281 created from 713 on November 2, serving Houston suburbs outside Beltway 8. Source: Wikipedia
- 1999: Area code 832 added as an all-services overlay on January 16, erasing the 713/281 boundary and making 10-digit dialing mandatory. Source: Wikipedia
- 2013: PUC announces area code 346 on May 9 after NANPA projects the three existing codes will exhaust by September 30, 2014. About 100 prefixes remained available in 832 at the time. Source: PUC Texas
- 2014: Area code 346 enters service on July 1 as an all-services distributed overlay on 281/713/832, allocating over 31 million potential telephone numbers for a service territory of 8+ million people. Source: AT&T
- 2023: PUCT approves area code 621 as the fifth overlay under Project No. 54986 on October 12. NANPA issues PL-623 on December 6. Source: PUCT
- 2025: Area code 621 enters service on January 23, making the Houston complex a five-code overlay (713/281/832/346/621). Source: PUCT
The 15-year gap between area code 832 (1999) and 346 (2014) was the longest interval between overlay additions in the Houston complex, reflecting improvements in number conservation and the shift to distributed overlays.
Unique Facts About Area Code 346
Several milestones in the region's telecom history are tied to area code 346. Source: PUC Texas
- Over 31 million potential numbers: Area code 346 allocated more than 31 million potential telephone numbers to a service territory of eight million people. This ratio reflects the capacity-rich nature of the distributed overlay model adopted for the Houston metropolitan area. Source: Wikipedia
- Five-code overlay complex: The Houston overlay complex (713/281/832/346/621) is one of the largest five-code overlay complexes in North America, covering 10 Texas counties and serving 8+ million residents across the Greater Houston metropolitan area. Source: PUCT
- 100 prefixes remaining in 832 at announcement: When 346 was announced in May 2013, approximately 100 prefixes remained available in the 832 area code, roughly enough for one million additional phone numbers before exhaustion. Source: Houston Chronicle
- 15-year gap between overlays: There was a 15-year interval between the area code 832 overlay (1999) and the 346 overlay (2014), the longest gap between overlay additions in the Houston complex. This extended period reflected number conservation efforts and the effectiveness of the distributed overlay approach. Source: Wikipedia
- 10-county service territory: Area code 346 covers Harris, Fort Bend, Waller, Austin, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Liberty, Chambers, Galveston, and Brazoria counties. Source: PUC Texas
FCC Regulatory History
Area code 346 has been affected by five key regulatory actions spanning from the original 281 split in 1996 to the 621 overlay approval in 2023, tracking the evolution of the Houston overlay complex through NANPA planning letters and PUCT decisions. Source: NANPA
| Year | Event | Docket | Regulatory Action & Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 281 Split Approval | PL-006 | NANPA approved the split of 713 NPA creating area code 281 for Houston suburbs outside Beltway 8. This established the initial Houston overlay complex that 346 later joined. Source: NANPA |
| 1999 | 832 Overlay Approval | PL-143 | NANPA approved the all-services overlay of 832 on 713/281, erasing the geographic boundary and introducing mandatory 10-digit dialing across the Houston area. Source: NANPA |
| 2013 | 346 Overlay Approval | PL-453 | NANPA issued PL-453 for the all-services distributed overlay of 346 on 281/713/832, the fourth area code for the Houston metropolitan area. PUC announced the decision on May 9, 2013. Source: PUC Texas |
| 2014 | 346 Enters Service | PL-453 | Area code 346 enters service on July 1 as an all-services distributed overlay, allocating over 31 million potential telephone numbers. Source: AT&T |
| 2023 | 621 Overlay Approval | PUCT Project No. 54986 | PUCT approved 621 as the fifth overlay for the 281/346/713/832 complex on October 12, 2023. NANPA issued PL-623 on December 6, 2023, confirming 621 CO codes available only when all assignable codes in 281/346/713/832 are assigned. Source: PUCT |
Demographics & Economics
- Total Population
- 8,101,999
- Population Density
- 751 people/sq miabove U.S. average (U.S.: 94 people/sq mi)
- Median Household Income
- $73,104near U.S. median (U.S.: $78,538)
- Poverty Rate
- 13.5%near U.S. average (U.S.: 12.4%)
- Unemployment Rate
- 6.0%above U.S. average (U.S.: 5.2%)
- Education Attainment
- Bachelor's Degree+35.7%near U.S. average (U.S.: 35.0%)High School or Lower30.9%
Statistics are population-weighted aggregations from Census ACS 5-year estimates.See Sources for details.
Geographic Coverage
State
TX
Major Cities
- Houston
- Pasadena
- Pearland
- The Woodlands
- League City
- Sugar Land
- Atascocita
- Baytown
- Missouri City
- Spring
- Channelview
- Friendswood
- Rosenberg
- Mission Bend
- La Porte
- Deer Park
- Alvin
- Fulshear
- Sienna
- Pecan Grove
- Cloverleaf
- Fresno
- Katy
- Dickinson
and 76 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 346).
| County | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Harris, TX | 5,201,146 | 64.2% |
| Fort Bend, TX | 1,310,165 | 16.2% |
| Montgomery, TX | 473,282 | 5.8% |
| Brazoria, TX | 349,277 | 4.3% |
| Galveston, TX | 267,619 | 3.3% |
| Waller, TX | 248,151 | 3.1% |
| Chambers, TX | 130,055 | 1.6% |
| Liberty, TX | 104,248 | 1.3% |
| San Jacinto, TX | 17,816 | 0.2% |
| Polk, TX | 240 | 0.0% |
Call Context
This area code covers a geographic region across TX, including Houston and surrounding communities.
Nearby Area Codes
Area codes geographically closest to 346.
Other Area Codes in Texas
Area codes that also serve Texas, linked for easy comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about area code 346 and how phone numbering works.
Houston now has a five-code overlay complex (713, 281, 832, 346, 621), one of the largest overlay complexes in North America.
Phone numbers assigned to area code 346 are tied to where they were originally provisioned — not the caller's current location. This code serving roughly 8102k people covers Houston in TX, so a number originally set up there will retain the 346 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 346 is associated with Houston in TX. 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 346 serves the Houston region in TX, where growing demand for phone numbers necessitated an additional code. This area code shares its region with area code 713, area code 281, area code 621. Learn more in our overlay vs split guide.