Area Code 501
Arkansas
Area code 501 serves Arkansas, primarily Little Rock, in the Central Time (CT) time zone. It has served the region since 01-Jan-1947.
Area Code Splits
Parts of this area code’s original geographic region were later assigned new area codes through splits. When a split occurs, some customers in the original area code region are assigned the new area code.
Split into: area code 479 (Fayetteville), area code 870 (Jonesboro).
Demographics & Economics
- Total Population
- 1,646,273
- Population Density
- 91 people/sq minear U.S. average (U.S.: 93 people/sq mi)
- Median Household Income
- $60,385below U.S. median (U.S.: $75,144)
- Poverty Rate
- 14.8%above U.S. average (U.S.: 11.5%)
- Unemployment Rate
- 4.6%above U.S. average (U.S.: 3.6%)
- Education Attainment
- Bachelor's Degree+28.1%below U.S. average (U.S.: 33.7%)High School or Lower35.7%
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
Prefix Utilization
Geographic Coverage
State
AR
Major Cities
- Little Rock
- Conway
- North Little Rock
- Hot Springs
- Benton
- Sherwood
- Jacksonville
- Cabot
- Searcy
- Bryant
- Maumelle
- Malvern
- Beebe
- Heber Springs
- Morrilton
- Ward
- East End
- Greenbrier
- Shannon Hills
- Piney
- Vilonia
- Lonoke
- Gibson
- Haskell
and 97 more cities
Demographics
The estimated population served by area code 501 is approximately 1,646,273. The population density is 91 people per square mile, which is near the national average of 93. The median household income is $60,385, which is lower than the national median of $75,144. Approximately 28.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to the national rate of 33.7%. This rate is lower than the national average. The poverty rate stands at 14.8%, which is higher than the national rate of 11.5%.
History
Area code 501 is one of the original area codes established in 1947 when the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) was created. Over time, area code area code 479 was split from 501.
County Coverage
Population-weighted county share based on aggregated ZCTA population (100% = total mapped population for area code 501).
| County | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pulaski, AR | 488,587 | 29.7% |
| Faulkner, AR | 238,062 | 14.5% |
| Saline, AR | 205,473 | 12.5% |
| Garland, AR | 132,789 | 8.1% |
| Hot Spring, AR | 114,464 | 7.0% |
| Lonoke, AR | 113,374 | 6.9% |
| White, AR | 82,610 | 5.0% |
| Cleburne, AR | 69,585 | 4.2% |
| Grant, AR | 67,550 | 4.1% |
| Conway, AR | 30,941 | 1.9% |
| Van Buren, AR | 25,988 | 1.6% |
| Prairie, AR | 21,145 | 1.3% |
| Independence, AR | 14,139 | 0.9% |
| Stone, AR | 11,090 | 0.7% |
| Perry, AR | 10,511 | 0.6% |
| Jefferson, AR | 8,143 | 0.5% |
| Clark, AR | 4,673 | 0.3% |
| Jackson, AR | 3,126 | 0.2% |
| Pope, AR | 2,129 | 0.1% |
| Montgomery, AR | 1,162 | 0.1% |
| Yell, AR | 732 | 0.0% |
Area Code 501 Family Tree
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All Descendants
Area code 501 was originally assigned in 01-Jan-1947 to serve AR. Over the years, it has generated 3 descendant area codes 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 AR, with Little Rock as a primary city.
Nearby Area Codes
Area codes geographically closest to 501.
Other Area Codes in Arkansas
Area codes that also serve Arkansas, linked for easy comparison.