Lowell, MA Area Codes

Area codes serving Lowell

Lowell sits in Massachusetts, part of the Northeast region and the Eastern Time zone. Its numbers are spread across an overlay of 2 codes that all cover the same ground: 351, 978.

The original code is 978 (in service since 1997). As the area ran low on numbers, regulators added overlay codes on top instead of splitting the city, so longtime residents kept their numbers while new lines received a newer code.

Code	Area served	In service
351	Northeastern Massachusetts including Lowell, Lawrence, the North Shore and Fitchburg	May 2, 2001
978	Northeastern Massachusetts including Lowell, Lawrence, the North Shore and Fitchburg	September 1, 1997

Nearby cities sharing these area codes

• Lawrence
• Haverhill
• Peabody
• Methuen
• Salem
• Beverly
• Leominster
• Fitchburg
• Billerica
• Chelmsford
• Andover
• Gloucester
• Newburyport

How to pick an area code for a new number

When you activate a new line in Lowell, the carrier assigns whichever code has numbers available — you usually can't choose. If a specific code matters to you (for example the prestige of 978), ask the carrier whether any blocks remain, or request a number transfer. All codes here dial identically and cost the same.

Dialing in Lowell

Because Lowell is an overlay area, 10-digit dialing is mandatory: always dial the area code plus the seven-digit number, even for a neighbor. See 10-digit dialing and overlay area codes for the background. For every code in Massachusetts, visit the Massachusetts area codes page.