205 Area Code — Alabama
205 is a North American Numbering Plan area code for Alabama, the United States. It covers about 1,558,725 people in 167 towns and 246 ZIP codes, including Birmingham, Tuscaloosa and Bessemer.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Area code | 205 |
| Country | United States (+1) |
| State / province | Alabama |
| Type | Shares its towns with 659 |
| Time zone | Central |
| Population covered | 1,558,725 |
| Towns covered | 167 |
| ZIP codes | 246 |
| Approx. centre | 33.454, -87.139 |
Where area code 205 is used
Area code 205 is assigned to Alabama, the United States, inside the North American Numbering Plan. Numbers in the code are written (205) NXX-XXXX at home and +1 205 NXX-XXXX when dialled from outside Canada and the United States. Since the NANP moved to 10-digit dialling you must always include the area code, even for a local call.
Other area codes in this footprint: 659. They serve towns in the same territory, so a single street can contain numbers from more than one code. That is normal in the NANP and does not change how you dial.
Towns and cities in area code 205
The 167 towns below are the largest in the 205 footprint, ranked by population. Every one of them links to its own page with the full list of area codes and ZIP codes for that town.
| Town | County | Population | ZIP codes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | Jefferson County | 501,720 | 62 |
| Tuscaloosa | Tuscaloosa County | 136,178 | 9 |
| Bessemer | Jefferson County | 73,551 | 4 |
| Northport | Tuscaloosa County | 47,464 | 3 |
| Jasper | Walker County | 33,588 | 4 |
| Trussville | Jefferson County | 31,603 | 1 |
| Alabaster | Shelby County | 28,586 | 1 |
| Pelham | Shelby County | 25,238 | 1 |
| Pinson | Jefferson County | 22,599 | 1 |
| Pell City | St. Clair County | 21,825 | 2 |
| Clanton | Chilton County | 20,484 | 2 |
| Mc Calla | Jefferson County | 20,342 | 1 |
Counties covered
| County | ZIP codes |
|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 91 |
| Tuscaloosa County | 28 |
| Shelby County | 20 |
| Walker County | 16 |
| St. Clair County | 12 |
| Blount County | 8 |
| Bibb County | 8 |
| Sumter County | 8 |
| Fayette County | 7 |
| Pickens County | 6 |
| Marion County | 6 |
| Winston County | 6 |
Other area codes serving the same towns
Nearby area codes
How to dial area code 205
- Within North America: 205 + 7-digit number (205-NXX-XXXX). The leading 1 is optional on a mobile phone and required on most landlines for long-distance.
- From abroad: your country's international prefix, then 1, then 205, then the 7-digit number — for example 00 1 205 NXX-XXXX from most of Europe.
Frequently asked questions
What area code is 205?
205 is a North American Numbering Plan area code assigned to Alabama, the United States. It covers about 1,558,725 people in 167 towns.
Is 205 a US or Canadian area code?
205 is a United States area code. Canada and the United States share the +1 country code, so both are part of the same numbering plan.
What time zone is area code 205 in?
Area code 205 is in the Central time zone.
Do I have to dial 10 digits?
Yes. Every NANP call now requires the area code plus the seven-digit number, even for a local call.