Wondering which area codes service Mississippi? Need to know who’s calling you from 601, 228, 662, or 769 area codes? This mississippi area code map and the below article explain everything you need to know about Mississippi area codes, which cities fall under each, plus some fun facts about the history of area codes in Mississippi.
Mississippi area codes include 601, 228, 662, and 769. All residents within the state are serviced by one of these Mississippi area codes.
The 601 area code services most of southern Mississippi. Major cities within the 601 area code include Jackson, Hattiesburg, Laurel, Newton, and Meridian.
The 601 area code initially was the only one to service Mississippi residents. It was established back in 1947 by AT&T and Bell Laboratories, the two companies that initiated the idea of the area code.
The 601 area code was split in 1997 and again in 1999 in response to increased population and the rising popularity of cell phones to those requiring an area code.
The 228 area code services the southernmost cities in Mississippi, including Biloxi, Gulfport, Diamondhead, Bay St. Louis, Long Beach, Moss Point and Ocean Springs. It encompasses just three coastal counties: Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson. Of the four area codes in Mississippi, 228 is the smallest, geographically speaking.
The creation of the 228 Mississippi area code marked the first split of the original 601 code. The southern cities in the state were reassigned to 228 in 1997.
The 662 area code services northern Mississippi, including the cities of Aberdeen, Columbus, Tupelo, Clarksdale, Oxford, Starkville, and Greenville. Geographically, it’s about the same size as 601 and 769 but serves fewer residents.
The 662 area code was created in 1999 to accommodate more cell phone numbers.
The 662 area code is also used in Mexico, but international numbers are differentiated using country codes.
The 769 area code services most southern cities in Mississippi, including Jackson, Laurel, Newton, Meridian, and Hattiesburg. The 769 code is an alternative area code for current 601 customers, as it serves the same geographical area.
The 769 code was the first — and is currently the only — overlay in Mississippi, designed to accommodate the massive number of residents in central and southern Mississippi.
Unlike an area code split, an overlay doesn’t require residents to change their numbers. However, most telephone service providers require that residents dial out using area codes, even to numbers in the same geographical area.
In 1947, the 601 area code was sufficient for servicing all customers throughout the state. Even as housing opportunities increased with population and more residents required landlines, the single 601 area code was enough to service the state for 50 years.
In 1997, the first area code split in Mississippi occurred, with a small coastal section of the state being reassigned to the 228 area code. The 228 code still represents the smallest geographical area in Mississippi assigned to a single area code. 601 and 228 were the only area codes Mississippi residents needed for just two years.
With more and more cell phone users picking up numbers every day in the late 1990s, this single split soon proved not to be enough to service all of Mississippi. In 1999, just two years after the initial split, the larger 601 area code was split once again.
The second split cut the state in half, with the northern states being reassigned to 662 and the southern states above the 228 area code retaining the 601 code. From 1999 through 2005, these were the only three area codes Mississippi residents could have.
Even with these two splits taking place, the 601 area code — which then serviced the largest number of residents in Mississippi — was overlaid with the fourth and final area code in 2005: 769.
The 769 area code serves the same geographical locations as 601, effectively doubling the number of phone numbers the area can handle.
Looking for which area codes Mississippi residents have in the larger cities? We’ve included a convenient list sorted by population below to aid you in your search:
Jackson: 601/769
Population: 166,383
Gulfport: 228
Population: 71,767
Southaven: 662
Population: 54,152
Hattiesburg: 601/769
Population: 46,098
Biloxi: 228
Population: 45,906
Tupelo: 662
Population: 38,271
Meridian: 601/769
Population: 37,848
Olive Branch: 662
Population: 37,461
Greenville: 662
Population: 30,588
Pearl: 601/769
Population: 26,222
Starkville: 662
Population: 25,387
Clinton: 601/769
Population: 25,131
Ridgeland: 601/769
Population: 24,269
Columbus: 662
Population: 24,083
Vicksburg: 601/769
Population: 22,332
Pascagoula: 228
Population: 21,809
Clarksdale: 662
Population: 15,734
Below, we’re including a list of every city in Mississippi serviced by each of the four area codes.
If you’re getting a call from the 601 Mississippi area code, it’s coming from one of the below cities in Mississippi:
If someone is calling from the 662 Mississippi area code, they’re calling from one of the below cities:
If someone is calling from a 228 Mississippi area code, they’re calling from one of the below cities: