Area Code 859

Kentucky

Area code 859 serves Kentucky, primarily Covington, in the Eastern Time (ET) time zone. It was created from a split of area code 606.

Published: February 17, 2026Verified against NANPA and FCC records

Split Area Code

This area code exists because its parent region ran low on available numbers: the parent territory was divided geographically, this code took over one part of it, and the parent kept serving the rest. Existing customers generally keep their numbers — only the code changes for the newly drawn region.

This area code was split from area code 606 (Ashland).

In service since: 01-Apr-2000

Learn more about overlay and split area codes →

Demographics & Economics

Total Population: 1,944,501
Population Density: 142 people/sq mi
above U.S. average (U.S.: 95 people/sq mi)
Median Household Income: $69,479
below U.S. median (U.S.: $80,734)
Poverty Rate: 13.6%
near U.S. average (U.S.: 12.5%)
Unemployment Rate: 4.3%
below U.S. average (U.S.: 5.2%)
Education Attainment: Bachelor's Degree+
32.1%
near U.S. average (U.S.: 35.7%)
High School or Lower
34.6%

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

Eastern Time (ET)

Prefix Utilization

Geographic Coverage

State

Major Cities

Covington
Richmond
Florence
Nicholasville
Independence
Erlanger
Winchester
Burlington
Fort Thomas
Danville
Berea
Newport
Alexandria
Versailles
Francisville
Paris
Oakbrook
Elsmere
Harrodsburg
Fort Mitchell
Edgewood
Mount Sterling
Union
Villa Hills

and 60 more cities

Area Code 859 geographic coverage map (light mode)

Demographics

The estimated population served by area code 859 is approximately 1,944,501. The population density is 142 people per square mile, which is higher than the national average of 95. The median household income is $69,479, which is lower than the national median of $80,734. Approximately 32.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to the national rate of 35.7%. This rate is near the national average. The poverty rate stands at 13.6%, which is near the national rate of 12.5%.

History

Area code 859 was created from a split of area code 606. It was introduced in 2000 as part of a geographic division to provide additional numbering resources.

County Coverage

Population-weighted county share based on aggregated ZCTA population (100% = total mapped population for area code 859).

County	Population	Share
Fayette, KY	377,033	19.4%
Kenton, KY	244,658	12.6%
Boone, KY	177,090	9.1%
Clark, KY	141,185	7.3%
Jessamine, KY	113,909	5.9%
Bourbon, KY	104,906	5.4%
Madison, KY	97,569	5.0%
Campbell, KY	97,034	5.0%
Montgomery, KY	46,417	2.4%
Pendleton, KY	45,609	2.3%
Garrard, KY	43,504	2.2%
Scott, KY	43,206	2.2%
Nicholas, KY	42,874	2.2%
Lincoln, KY	42,505	2.2%
Harrison, KY	41,162	2.1%
Grant, KY	34,521	1.8%
Washington, KY	34,261	1.8%
Boyle, KY	32,092	1.7%
Bath, KY	30,210	1.6%
Woodford, KY	28,232	1.5%
Rockcastle, KY	26,733	1.4%
Mercer, KY	25,580	1.3%
Robertson, KY	24,424	1.3%
Owen, KY	16,726	0.9%
Gallatin, KY	9,151	0.5%
Marion, KY	8,818	0.5%
Bracken, KY	6,998	0.4%
Franklin, KY	4,004	0.2%
Anderson, KY	2,265	0.1%
Casey, KY	1,825	0.1%