Area Code 686

Virginia

Area code 686 serves Virginia, primarily Richmond, in the Eastern Time (ET) time zone. It is an overlay area code sharing territory with area code 804.

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 804 (Richmond).

In service since: 01-Feb-2024

Learn more about overlay and split area codes →

Demographics & Economics

Total Population: 2,526,163
Population Density: 169 people/sq mi
above U.S. average (U.S.: 93 people/sq mi)
Median Household Income: $86,397
above U.S. median (U.S.: $75,144)
Poverty Rate: 10.0%
below U.S. average (U.S.: 11.5%)
Unemployment Rate: 4.7%
above U.S. average (U.S.: 3.6%)
Education Attainment: Bachelor's Degree+
37.6%
above U.S. average (U.S.: 33.7%)
High School or Lower
29.4%

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 Statistics dashboard.

Time Zone

Eastern Time (ET)

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

Eastern Time (ET)

Prefix Utilization

Geographic Coverage

State

Major Cities

Richmond
Tuckahoe
Mechanicsville
Petersburg
Short Pump
Chester
Hopewell
Meadowbrook
Midlothian
Colonial Heights
Laurel
Bon Air
Glen Allen
East Highland Park
Highland Springs
Brandermill
Lakeside
Manchester
Wyndham
Gloucester Point
Rockwood
Montrose
Innsbrook
Bellwood

and 47 more cities

Area Code 686 geographic coverage map (light mode)

History

Area code 686 serves as an overlay for the same territory as area code 804. It was introduced in 2024 to provide additional phone number capacity for the region. It shares its territory with area code area code 804.

Demographics

The estimated population served by area code 686 is approximately 2,526,163. The population density is 169 people per square mile, which is higher than the national average of 93. The median household income is $86,397, which is higher than the national median of $75,144. Approximately 37.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to the national rate of 33.7%. This rate is higher than the national average. The poverty rate stands at 10.0%, which is lower than the national rate of 11.5%.

County Coverage

Population-weighted county share based on aggregated ZCTA population (100% = total mapped population for area code 686).

County	Population	Share
Chesterfield, VA	517,717	20.5%
Henrico, VA	422,387	16.7%
Richmond city, VA	415,392	16.4%
Hanover, VA	172,538	6.8%
Powhatan, VA	128,572	5.1%
Goochland, VA	122,225	4.8%
Prince George, VA	81,541	3.2%
Dinwiddie, VA	76,751	3.0%
Petersburg city, VA	63,179	2.5%
Charles City, VA	49,867	2.0%
Gloucester, VA	41,460	1.6%
Caroline, VA	39,882	1.6%
Cumberland, VA	33,303	1.3%
Hopewell city, VA	31,432	1.2%
New Kent, VA	30,434	1.2%
Westmoreland, VA	27,226	1.1%
Spotsylvania, VA	27,197	1.1%
Colonial Heights city, VA	26,752	1.1%
King William, VA	22,026	0.9%
King and Queen, VA	18,269	0.7%
Northumberland, VA	18,164	0.7%
Lancaster, VA	17,821	0.7%
Richmond, VA	17,053	0.7%
Louisa, VA	17,034	0.7%
Amelia, VA	16,309	0.6%
Sussex, VA	13,608	0.5%
Nottoway, VA	13,444	0.5%
Essex, VA	12,435	0.5%
Middlesex, VA	12,155	0.5%
Surry, VA	12,110	0.5%
King George, VA	10,026	0.4%
Mathews, VA	8,556	0.3%
James City, VA	4,807	0.2%
Buckingham, VA	4,491	0.2%