323 Area Code
| State: | California |
| Top City: | Los Angeles |
| Timezone: | Pacific |
| Current Time: |
Where is Area Code 323 located?
Area Code 323 is primarily assigned to the state of California, United States. It covers a portion of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, including the central and eastern parts of the city of Los Angeles.
Area Code 323 encompasses neighborhoods such as Hollywood, Silver Lake, Echo Park, and Boyle Heights. It is a densely populated area known for its cultural diversity, entertainment industry, and vibrant communities.
323 Area Code Time Zone
Area code 323 follows the Pacific Time Zone (PT). The current time in Los Angeles is .
History of 323 Area Code
Area code 323 was created on June 13, 1998, as a result of a split from area code 213. Area code 213 was one of the original area codes assigned to California in 1947, and it originally covered all of Southern California. However, due to the rapid growth of population and telephone usage in the region, area code 213 was split several times over the years to create new area codes such as 714, 805, 818, and 909.
By the late 1990s, area code 213 was reduced to cover only the downtown and central areas of Los Angeles. To accommodate the increasing demand for phone numbers in the surrounding areas, area code 323 was created to serve most of the rest of Los Angeles County. The split was intended to be a long-term solution, but within a few years, area code 323 also became exhausted.
To solve this problem, an overlay plan was implemented on August 1, 2017. An overlay is when a new area code is added to the same geographic area as an existing area code, and both area codes are used simultaneously. The new area code that was overlaid on top of area code 323 was area code 213. This means that both area codes now cover the same territory and customers have to dial 10 digits (area code + phone number) for all local calls.
The overlay of area code 213 on area code 323 was somewhat controversial because it reversed the original split that separated the two area codes in 1998. However, it was chosen as the preferred option over another split because it would minimize disruption and confusion for customers and businesses. The overlay also ensured that everyone could keep their existing phone numbers without changing them.
Top County in Area Code 323
| County | Population |
| Los Angeles | 10,081,570 |
Top 10 Cities in Area Code 323
| City | Population |
| Los Angeles | 3,979,576 |
| Huntington Park | 58,114 |
| Florence-Graham | 63,140 |
| Bell Gardens | 42,072 |
| West Hollywood | 36,976 |
| Maywood | 27,395 |
| Walnut Park | 15,966 |
| Vernon | 112 |
| Cudahy | 23,805 |
| Commerce | 12,823 |
Top Telephone Carriers
| Landline | Wireless |
| Pacific Bell | Sprint |
| MCI Worldcom | T-Mobile |
| AT&T | Verizon Wireless |