Area Code 862
New Jersey
Area code 862 serves New Jersey, primarily Newark, in the Eastern Time (ET) time zone. It is an overlay area code sharing territory with area code 973.
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 973 (Newark).
In service since: 29-Dec-2001
Demographics & Economics
- Total Population
- 1,315,270
- Population Density
- 860 people/sq miabove U.S. average (U.S.: 93 people/sq mi)
- Median Household Income
- $109,028above U.S. median (U.S.: $75,144)
- Poverty Rate
- 7.0%below U.S. average (U.S.: 11.5%)
- Unemployment Rate
- 5.6%above U.S. average (U.S.: 3.6%)
- Education Attainment
- Bachelor's Degree+46.7%above U.S. average (U.S.: 33.7%)High School or Lower28.1%
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
Prefix Utilization
Geographic Coverage
State
NJ
Major Cities
- Newark
- Paterson
- Clifton
- Passaic
- East Orange
- Kearny
- Garfield
- Lodi
- Parsippany
- Morristown
- Harrison
- Hawthorne
- Preakness
- Dover
- Madison
- Hopatcong
- Short Hills
- Woodland Park
- Florham Park
- Upper Montclair
- Wallington
- Ringwood
- Wanaque
- Pompton Lakes
and 97 more cities
Demographics
The estimated population served by area code 862 is approximately 1,315,270. The population density is 860 people per square mile, which is higher than the national average of 93. The median household income is $109,028, which is higher than the national median of $75,144. Approximately 46.7% 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 7.0%, which is lower than the national rate of 11.5%.
History
Area code 862 serves as an overlay for the same territory as area code 973. It was introduced in 2001 to provide additional phone number capacity for the region. It shares its territory with area code area code 973.
County Coverage
Population-weighted county share based on aggregated ZCTA population (100% = total mapped population for area code 862).
| County | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Essex, NJ | 855,186 | 38.2% |
| Passaic, NJ | 587,729 | 26.3% |
| Morris, NJ | 475,834 | 21.3% |
| Sussex, NJ | 153,306 | 6.8% |
| Bergen, NJ | 70,273 | 3.1% |
| Union, NJ | 39,163 | 1.7% |
| Warren, NJ | 35,019 | 1.6% |
| Hudson, NJ | 22,128 | 1.0% |
Area Code 862 Family Tree
Hover over nodes to see details. Click to navigate to individual area code pages. Use scroll to zoom, drag to pan.
Area code 862 was originally assigned in 29-Dec-2001 to serve NJ.
Call Context
This area code serves a major metropolitan region with high population density in NJ. The primary city is Newark.
Nearby Area Codes
Area codes geographically closest to 862.
Other Area Codes in New Jersey
Area codes that also serve New Jersey, linked for easy comparison.