Area Code 821
South Carolina
Area code 821 serves South Carolina, primarily Greenville, in the Eastern Time (ET) time zone. It is an overlay area code sharing territory with area code 864.
Published: Verified against NANPA and FCC records
Overlay Area Code
This area code shares its geographic footprint with an overlay code, so the same cities are served by two area codes. Because overlays leave existing numbers untouched, this region's relief planning favors adding codes over redrawing boundaries.
The codes serving this same region: area code 864 (Greenville).
In service since: 19-Aug-2024
Demographics & Economics
- Total Population
- 2,324,189
- Population Density
- 182 people/sq miabove U.S. average (U.S.: 95 people/sq mi)
- Median Household Income
- $66,234below U.S. median (U.S.: $80,734)
- Poverty Rate
- 14.6%above U.S. average (U.S.: 12.5%)
- Unemployment Rate
- 4.7%below U.S. average (U.S.: 5.2%)
- Education Attainment
- Bachelor's Degree+29.0%below U.S. average (U.S.: 35.7%)High School or Lower34.0%
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
- 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
Prefix Utilization
Geographic Coverage
State
SC
Major Cities
- Greenville
- Greer
- Spartanburg
- Anderson
- Mauldin
- Simpsonville
- Easley
- Taylors
- Greenwood
- Wade Hampton
- Five Forks
- Clemson
- Berea
- Gantt
- Gaffney
- Boiling Springs
- Parker
- Powdersville
- Fountain Inn
- Laurens
- Seneca
- Sans Souci
- Travelers Rest
- Union
and 121 more cities
History
Area code 821 serves as an overlay for the same territory as area code 864. It was introduced in 2024 to provide additional phone number capacity for the region. It shares its territory with area code area code 864.
Demographics
The estimated population served by area code 821 is approximately 2,324,189. The population density is 182 people per square mile, which is higher than the national average of 95. The median household income is $66,234, which is lower than the national median of $80,734. Approximately 29.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to the national rate of 35.7%. This rate is lower than the national average. The poverty rate stands at 14.6%, which is higher than the national rate of 12.5%.
County Coverage
Population-weighted county share based on aggregated ZCTA population (100% = total mapped population for area code 821).
| County | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville, SC | 646,931 | 27.8% |
| Spartanburg, SC | 422,328 | 18.2% |
| Anderson, SC | 335,460 | 14.4% |
| Pickens, SC | 223,738 | 9.6% |
| Laurens, SC | 184,345 | 7.9% |
| Abbeville, SC | 119,344 | 5.1% |
| Cherokee, SC | 96,557 | 4.2% |
| Oconee, SC | 89,857 | 3.9% |
| Greenwood, SC | 85,571 | 3.7% |
| Union, SC | 38,591 | 1.7% |
| McCormick, SC | 26,399 | 1.1% |
| Saluda, SC | 18,429 | 0.8% |
| Edgefield, SC | 18,338 | 0.8% |
| York, SC | 9,855 | 0.4% |
| Newberry, SC | 4,952 | 0.2% |
| Chester, SC | 1,747 | 0.1% |
| Fairfield, SC | 1,747 | 0.1% |
Area Code 821 Family Tree
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Area code 821 was originally assigned in 19-Aug-2024 to serve SC.
Call Context
This area code covers a geographic region across SC, including Greenville and surrounding communities.
Nearby Area Codes
Area codes geographically closest to 821.
Other Area Codes in South Carolina
Area codes that also serve South Carolina, linked for easy comparison.