Area Code 401
Rhode Island
Geographic Coverage
State
RI
Major Cities
- Providence
- Warwick
- Cranston
- Pawtucket
- East Providence
- Woonsocket
- Newport
- Central Falls
- Westerly
- Valley Falls
- Newport East
- Wakefield-Peace Dale
- Cumberland Hill
- Greenville
- Tiverton
- Kingston
- Pascoag
- Narragansett Pier
- Hope Valley
- Melville
- Chepachet
- Harrisville
- Ashaway
- Charlestown
and 15 more cities
Time Zone
- Eastern Time (ET)
Current Time
Demographics & Economics
- Total Population
- 1,160,230
- Population Density
- 1,069 people/sq miabove U.S. average (U.S.: 94 people/sq mi)
- Median Household Income
- $78,204near U.S. median (U.S.: $78,538)
- Poverty Rate
- 11.0%below U.S. average (U.S.: 12.4%)
- Unemployment Rate
- 5.7%above U.S. average (U.S.: 5.2%)
- Education Attainment
- Bachelor's Degree+36.9%near U.S. average (U.S.: 35.0%)High School or Lower31.7%
Statistics are population-weighted aggregations from Census ACS 5-year estimates.See Sources for details.
Call Context
This area code covers multiple cities and communities across a broad region in Rhode Island. It is one of the original area codes established when the North American Numbering Plan was created in 1947.
County Coverage
Population-weighted county share based on aggregated ZCTA population (100% = total mapped population for area code 401).
| County | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Providence, RI | 692,313 | 59.7% |
| Kent, RI | 174,253 | 15.0% |
| Washington, RI | 130,073 | 11.2% |
| Newport, RI | 85,095 | 7.3% |
| Bristol, RI | 50,568 | 4.4% |
| Bristol, MA | 27,928 | 2.4% |
Nearby Area Codes
Area codes geographically closest to 401.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about area code 401 and how phone numbering works.
Phone numbers are assigned based on where the number was originally provisioned, not the caller's current location. Mobile phones retain their number when users move, and businesses may use numbers from regions where they don't have a physical presence. VoIP services can also provision numbers from virtually any area code.
Yes, mobile phones can have numbers from any area code in the region they were activated. Wireless carriers assign numbers from available pools regardless of phone type. When users change carriers or move to new areas, they typically keep their original number, which may have a different area code than their current location.
Start by looking up the area code on this site to understand its general geographic region. For the specific number, options include using your carrier's caller ID features or checking 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 your number with the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce unwanted calls. Keep in mind that caller ID can display any name the caller chooses to set.
While Providence is a prominent city in this area code's coverage, the code serves the broader surrounding region as well. Area codes are assigned geographically and typically cover multiple cities, towns, and communities beyond any single anchor city.
This area code covers a metropolitan region with high population density. Dense urban areas typically have higher call volumes and may have multiple overlapping area codes to meet demand for phone numbers. Businesses and residents in these areas are more likely to need additional numbering resources.
Yes, this is one of the original area codes established in 1947 when the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) was created. The initial set of area codes was designed to cover all of North America with a unified dialing system, and many of these original codes remain in use today, though some have been split or received overlays.