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253 Area Code

Area code 253 serves Tacoma, Kent, Federal Way, Auburn, Lakewood and nearby communities in Washington. It has been in service since April 27, 1997, when it was split from 206.

StateWashington
Time zonePacific
Local time now…
Prefixes in use508
Projected to run out2056
TacomaKentFederal WayAuburnLakewoodBurienPuyallupParklandUniversity PlaceGrahamSeaTacSpanawayDes MoinesFredericksonBonney LakeLakeland NorthArtondaleFort LewisElk PlainEdgewoodLakeland SouthGig HarborLake TappsFifeSumnerDuPontSummit ViewMiltonSummitMidlandWallerClover CreekPacificFircrestWollochetSteilacoomNormandy ParkNorth Fort LewisMaplewoodTacomaKentBurienPuyallupGraham
Cities and towns served by area code 253

Who issues 253 numbers

Mobile 31%VoIP and cable 27%Landline 41%

Share of the 508 prefixes (the three digits after 253) assigned to each type of carrier. Classification by carrier name, approximate.

CarrierPrefixes
Lumen (Qwest)141
T-Mobile77
Onvoy (Sinch)49
Verizon Wireless48
AT&T Mobility35
Lumen (Level 3)33
Allstream30
Verizon Business (MCImetro)19

Cities and towns in area code 253

CityPopulationOther area codes
Tacoma229,816
Kent134,871
Federal Way99,729206
Auburn86,301
Lakewood62,755
Burien51,859206
Puyallup42,682
Parkland39,174
University Place35,479
Graham35,090
SeaTac34,578206
Spanaway34,322
Des Moines33,032206
Frederickson24,219
Bonney Lake22,139
Lakeland North14,664206
Artondale14,051
Fort Lewis13,983
Elk Plain13,863
Edgewood13,548
Lakeland South12,869
Gig Harbor12,630
Lake Tapps12,360
Fife11,061
Sumner10,871
DuPont9,778
Summit View9,014
Milton8,911
Summit8,885
Midland8,676
Waller7,857
Clover Creek7,128
Pacific7,056
Fircrest6,959
Wollochet6,905
Steilacoom6,648
Normandy Park6,609206
North Fort Lewis5,990
Maplewood5,766

Got a call from 253?

A 253 number was originally issued in Washington, but that does not prove the caller is there. 27% of 253 prefixes belong to VoIP and cable providers, whose numbers can be bought online and used from anywhere. Caller ID can also be spoofed, so treat urgent requests for money, codes or passwords from any area code with suspicion, and call back on a number you already know.

All 508 prefixes in area code 253

Format: (253) XXX-YYYY. Carrier is the company the block was originally assigned to; numbers may since have been ported to another carrier.

Questions about area code 253

Where is area code 253?
Area code 253 is in Washington. It covers Tacoma, Kent, Federal Way, Auburn, Lakewood, Burien and 33 more cities and towns.
What time zone is area code 253?
Area code 253 is in the Pacific time zone.
Is 253 a toll-free number?
No. 253 is a geographic area code in Washington. Toll-free numbers in the US start with 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 or 888.
Will area code 253 run out of numbers?
NANPA's latest forecast projects area code 253 to exhaust in the second quarter of 2056. Before that happens, a new area code is usually added as an overlay; existing numbers keep their code.

Other area codes in Washington