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Area code 256

Area code 256 Huntsville, Alabama

Area code 256 is in Alabama, with numbers assigned in Huntsville, Decatur, Anniston and 77 more places. It’s 11:10 PM there now.

State
Alabama7 area codes in Alabama
Time zone
Central11:10 PM there now
Exchanges
78680 places
Overlay
938Same area, 10-digit dialing
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Where area code 256 is

Numbers in 256 are assigned to 80 places in 23 counties: Limestone County, Morgan County, Madison County, Calhoun County, Marshall County, Cullman County, plus 17 more.

Huntsville has the most, 20% of the exchanges; the rest are spread across 79 other places.

  • Huntsville158
  • Decatur50
  • Anniston43
  • Gadsden37
  • Cullman36
  • Florence29
  • Athens26
  • Guntersville18
  • Alexander City18
  • Scottsboro18
  • Talladega17
  • Albertville15
  • Rogersville15
  • Madison15
  • Fort Payne15
  • Sylacauga14
  • Arab11
  • Sheffield11
  • Russellville11
  • Hartselle11
  • Jacksonville8
  • Boaz7
  • Centre7
  • Ashland6

Phone companies in 256

786 blocks of numbers in 256 are held by 46 phone companies. The most belong to AT&T (182), AT&T Mobility (114) and Verizon Wireless (84).

A mix: about 35% wireless, 35% local phone and cable and 31% other carriers, including internet phone services.

A block’s holder is the company it was first assigned to; numbers can move to other carriers since.

History and overlays

256 went into service in 1998, added to the area of 205.

938 (since 2010) shares the same area, so a new number there can get any of these codes and local calls are dialed with all 10 digits.

57 new exchanges were assigned since 2021, the latest in May 2025.

Calling 256

It’s 11:10 PM Central time in 256 right now.

From elsewhere in the U.S., dial 1, 256 and the 7-digit number; inside the area, all 10 digits too.

Nearby area codes

Alabama has 7 area codes: 205, 251, 256, 334, 483, 659 and 938.

From the North American Numbering Plan Administrator’s area code and exchange records (10/22/2026) and U.S. Census place and county names. Places and companies are where number blocks were assigned, not where anyone lives or which carrier a number uses today.

Map of the 256 area code

Map of the 256 area code around Huntsville, Decatur and Anniston, Alabama.

Interactive map © OpenStreetMap contributors

Cities on the map

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Questions about 256

Where is area code 256?

In Alabama, covering Huntsville, Decatur and Anniston and other places across 23 counties.

What time zone is 256 in?

Central time. It was 11:10 PM there when this page loaded.

Is 256 an overlay?

Yes. 938 serves the same area, so dial all 10 digits for local calls.

Which phone companies have 256 numbers?

46 companies hold blocks; the most belong to AT&T, AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless. About 35% of blocks are wireless.

Is 256 running out of numbers?

Not on record. 57 new exchanges have been assigned since 2021.