Area Code 601
Mississippi
Area code 601 serves Mississippi, primarily Jackson, in the Central Time (CT) 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 769 (Jackson).
In service 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 228 (Gulfport).
Demographics
The estimated population served by area code 601 is approximately 2,867,106. The population density is 41 people per square mile, which is lower than the national average of 94. The median household income is $50,435, which is lower than the national median of $78,538. Approximately 22.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to the national rate of 35.0%. This rate is lower than the national average. The poverty rate stands at 19.7%, which is higher than the national rate of 12.4%.
History
Area code 601 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 228 was split from 601. It shares its territory with area code area code 769.
Demographics & Economics
- Total Population
- 2,867,106
- Population Density
- 41 people/sq mibelow U.S. average (U.S.: 94 people/sq mi)
- Median Household Income
- $50,435below U.S. median (U.S.: $78,538)
- Poverty Rate
- 19.7%above U.S. average (U.S.: 12.4%)
- Unemployment Rate
- 6.0%above U.S. average (U.S.: 5.2%)
- Education Attainment
- Bachelor's Degree+22.4%below U.S. average (U.S.: 35.0%)High School or Lower35.8%
Statistics are population-weighted aggregations from Census ACS 5-year estimates.See Sources for details.
Geographic Coverage
State
MS
Major Cities
- Jackson
- Hattiesburg
- Meridian
- Madison
- Pearl
- Clinton
- Brandon
- Ridgeland
- Vicksburg
- Laurel
- Natchez
- Byram
- McComb
- Picayune
- Brookhaven
- Petal
- Canton
- Flowood
- Richland
- Philadelphia
- West Hattiesburg
- Columbia
- Leakesville
- Forest
and 133 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 601).
| County | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hinds, MS | 242,282 | 8.5% |
| Rankin, MS | 183,525 | 6.4% |
| Madison, MS | 172,423 | 6.0% |
| Jones, MS | 152,608 | 5.3% |
| Forrest, MS | 147,257 | 5.1% |
| Lamar, MS | 137,836 | 4.8% |
| Covington, MS | 130,235 | 4.5% |
| Smith, MS | 113,729 | 4.0% |
| Lauderdale, MS | 78,001 | 2.7% |
| Pearl River, MS | 77,519 | 2.7% |
| Lincoln, MS | 76,921 | 2.7% |
| Hancock, MS | 68,489 | 2.4% |
| Pike, MS | 60,043 | 2.1% |
| Marion, MS | 58,851 | 2.1% |
| Neshoba, MS | 56,512 | 2.0% |
| Wayne, MS | 56,318 | 2.0% |
| Clarke, MS | 56,260 | 2.0% |
| Simpson, MS | 56,145 | 2.0% |
| Jasper, MS | 54,698 | 1.9% |
| Leake, MS | 54,503 | 1.9% |
| Scott, MS | 50,879 | 1.8% |
| Perry, MS | 50,335 | 1.8% |
| Jefferson Davis, MS | 50,127 | 1.7% |
| Greene, MS | 49,715 | 1.7% |
| Kemper, MS | 49,597 | 1.7% |
| Copiah, MS | 46,397 | 1.6% |
| Stone, MS | 44,384 | 1.5% |
| Jefferson, MS | 43,932 | 1.5% |
| Warren, MS | 43,623 | 1.5% |
| Amite, MS | 39,879 | 1.4% |
| Franklin, MS | 39,626 | 1.4% |
| George, MS | 39,381 | 1.4% |
| Newton, MS | 38,665 | 1.3% |
| Jackson, MS | 38,661 | 1.3% |
| Adams, MS | 31,853 | 1.1% |
| Yazoo, MS | 29,160 | 1.0% |
| Lawrence, MS | 27,030 | 0.9% |
| Walthall, MS | 26,986 | 0.9% |
| Winston, MS | 25,668 | 0.9% |
| Attala, MS | 15,242 | 0.5% |
| Claiborne, MS | 13,915 | 0.5% |
| Issaquena, MS | 13,498 | 0.5% |
| Wilkinson, MS | 12,909 | 0.5% |
| Harrison, MS | 9,770 | 0.3% |
| Noxubee, MS | 1,719 | 0.1% |
Call Context
This area code spans a mix of urban centers and rural communities across MS, with Jackson as a primary city.
Nearby Area Codes
Area codes geographically closest to 601.
Other Area Codes in Mississippi
Area codes that also serve Mississippi, linked for easy comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about area code 601 and how phone numbering works.
Phone numbers assigned to area code 601 are tied to where they were originally provisioned — not the caller's current location. This code serving roughly 2867k people covers Jackson in MS, so a number originally set up there will retain the 601 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 601 is associated with Jackson in MS. 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 601 serves the Jackson region in MS, where growing demand for phone numbers necessitated an additional code. This area code shares its region with area code 769. Learn more in our overlay vs split guide.