205 Area Code
| State: | Alabama |
| Top City: | Birmingham |
| Timezone | Central |
| Current Time: |
Where Exactly is the Area Code 205 Located?
Area code 205 is one of the original area codes established in 1947 and serves the central and western parts of the state of Alabama, including the cities of Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Hoover, and many surrounding communities.
The 205 area code is bordered by area codes 256, 334, 662, and 931. In order to provide additional phone number availability, area code 659 was added as an overlay in 2019. Both area codes 205 and 659 serve the same geographic area.
What Time Zone is Associated with Area Code 205?
Area code 205 is located in the Central Time Zone (CT). The Central Time Zone is six hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-6:00) during the standard time and five hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-5:00) during daylight saving time.
So, if it is 12:00 pm (noon) in the Eastern Time Zone, it would be 11:00 am in the Central Time Zone, which includes the area served by the 205 area code.
History of 205 Area Code
Area code 205 is one of the original area codes established in 1947 as part of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). At that time, it covered the entire state of Alabama, as well as parts of Mississippi. However, as the demand for telephone numbers grew, the area code was split multiple times to create new area codes that served different regions of the state.
In 1995, area code 205 was split to create a new area code, 334, which served the southeastern part of the state, including the cities of Montgomery and Auburn. Then, in 1998, area code 256 was created to serve the northeastern part of the state, including the cities of Huntsville and Decatur.
Today, area code 205 serves the central and western parts of the state, including the cities of Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, and Hoover. The 205 area code covers a large geographic area and serves a population of over 1.2 million people.
In 2019, to address the growing demand for phone numbers, area code 659 was added as an overlay to the 205 area code. This means that new phone numbers in the 205 area code may be assigned either the 205 or 659 area code, depending on availability.
Overall, the history of the 205 area code reflects the growth and changes in the telecommunications industry, as well as the population and economic changes in the state of Alabama over the past several decades.
Top 10 Counties in Area Code 205
| County | Population |
| Jefferson County | 658,573 |
| Tuscaloosa County | 210,758 |
| Shelby County | 221,428 |
| Walker County | 63,521 |
| St. Clair County | 90,161 |
| Chilton County | 44,428 |
| Marion County | 29,709 |
| Blount County | 58,013 |
| Bibb County | 22,648 |
| Fayette County | 16,241 |
Top 10 Cities in Area Code 205
| City | Population |
| Birmingham | 212,297 |
| Hoover | 85,108 |
| Tuscaloosa | 101,113 |
| Bessemer | 26,386 |
| Alabaster | 33,202 |
| Northport | 26,115 |
| Pelham | 23,493 |
| Jasper | 13,857 |
| Gardendale | 13,809 |
| Helena | 19,072 |
Top Telephone Carriers
| Landline Providers | Wireless Providers |
| AT&T | AT&T |
| CenturyLink | Verizon |
| Windstream | T-Mobile |
| Sprint | |
| US Cellular | |
| C Spire Wireless |