Area code 978: Massachusetts
What is area code 978?
Area code 978 is a US state area code for Massachusetts, on Eastern Time. It has 773 prefixes in service across 58 rate centers, the largest being Lowell, Lawrence and Billerica. It shares its area with 351, so local numbers there can start with any of them. Local calls there take 10 digits.
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See the phone add-onArea code 978 facts
| Location | Massachusetts, United States |
|---|---|
| Time zone | Eastern Time |
| Overlays | 351 |
| Split from | 508 |
| In service since | September 1, 1997 |
| Local calls | 10 digits; toll calls 1 + 10 digits |
| Carrier | Not shown. An area code is where a number was issued; numbers port between carriers. Check line type |
In short: 978 is Massachusetts (Eastern Time). Format checks here are free and run in your browser; the current carrier and line type need a live lookup. Bulk phone number validator · Pro + Phone plan
Local time in area code 978
America/New_York
Prefixes in service
773 of 792 possible
58 rate centers
Which cities and towns use area code 978?
NANPA records each prefix against a rate center, the local billing area a number belongs to, usually named after its main town. These are the 978 rate centers with the most prefixes in service. 46 smaller ones aren't listed.
| Rate center | Prefixes |
|---|---|
| Lowell | 81 |
| Lawrence | 81 |
| Billerica | 38 |
| Concord | 30 |
| Peabody | 30 |
| Andover | 26 |
| Danvers | 26 |
| Haverhill | 26 |
| Wilmington | 25 |
| Salem | 25 |
| Beverly | 24 |
| Fitchburg | 24 |
Source: NANPA central office code assignments, file dated 10/17/2026. Each prefix holds up to 10,000 numbers.
How do I dial a 978 number?
NANPA's dialling plan for 978: local calls inside the code take 10 digits, toll calls 1 + 10 digits. From another area code, dial 1 first. From abroad, use +1. The examples use 555-0147, from a range reserved for fictional numbers.
| Local call inside 978 | 978-555-0147 |
|---|---|
| From another US or Canadian area code | 1-978-555-0147 |
| From outside North America | +1 978 555 0147 |
| E.164, for CRMs and SMS tools | +19785550147 |
When did area code 978 start?
Area code 978 went into service on September 1, 1997, split from 508. Today 978 and 351 cover the same area as an overlay, which is why 10-digit dialling is needed for local calls there.
Tools for 978 numbers
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- Area code time zone
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- NPA-NXX lookup
Rate center and state for one prefix, a level below the area code.
- TCPA calling hours checker
Whether it's inside the federal 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. calling window there now.
Next step
A 978 number tells you where it was issued, not what it is now.
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Area code 978 questions
- What state is area code 978?
- Area code 978 is in Massachusetts, United States. Its largest rate centers by number of prefixes are Lowell, Lawrence, Billerica, Concord and Peabody.
- What time zone is area code 978 in?
- Eastern Time.
- What area codes overlay 978?
- 351. An overlay adds a new code to the same area instead of splitting it, so neighbours can have different area codes and local calls need 10 digits.
- When did area code 978 start?
- Area code 978 went into service on September 1, 1997, split from 508.
- Is a 978 number a cell phone or a landline?
- The area code can't tell you. In the US and Canada mobiles, landlines and VoIP lines share area codes and prefixes, and numbers move between carriers and line types. Only a live line-type lookup answers it for one number.
- How many phone numbers does area code 978 have?
- 773 of its 792 possible prefixes are in service, and each prefix holds up to 10,000 numbers. That counts prefixes assigned to carriers, not numbers in use.
- Does a valid format mean a 978 number is in service?
- No. A format check only says the digits fit the North American Numbering Plan and that 978 is an assigned code. It cannot tell whether the number is connected, who answers it or which carrier serves it today, because numbers are reassigned and ported. A live carrier lookup reports the current carrier and line type, but even that is not proof someone answers.
- Can I check a list of 978 numbers for free?
- Yes. Paste them in the list tab above or upload a CSV to the bulk phone number validator: format, E.164, country and the numbering-plan line type are free for every row, with no account. Live carrier and line-type lookups come with Pro + Phone at $49.99/mo (5,000 a month).
Other area codes in Massachusetts
All Massachusetts area codes on the area code index.
Sources
Location, overlays, in-service date and dialling plan: NANPA NPA database, file dated 10/16/2026. Prefixes and rate centers: NANPA central office code assignments, 10/17/2026. Time zones mapped to the IANA time zone database. By the SimpleVerifier Team; how we build these pages.