251 Area Code — Alabama
251 is a North American Numbering Plan area code for Alabama, the United States. It covers about 762,561 people in 87 towns and 129 ZIP codes, including Mobile, Foley and Fairhope.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Area code | 251 |
| Country | United States (+1) |
| State / province | Alabama |
| Type | Standalone (no other NANP code covers the same towns) |
| Time zone | Central |
| Population covered | 762,561 |
| Towns covered | 87 |
| ZIP codes | 129 |
| Approx. centre | 30.970, -87.879 |
Where area code 251 is used
Area code 251 is assigned to Alabama, the United States, inside the North American Numbering Plan. Numbers in the code are written (251) NXX-XXXX at home and +1 251 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.
Towns and cities in area code 251
The 87 towns below are the largest in the 251 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile | Mobile County | 266,901 | 34 |
| Foley | Baldwin County | 40,628 | 2 |
| Fairhope | Baldwin County | 38,108 | 2 |
| Daphne | Baldwin County | 36,484 | 1 |
| Theodore | Mobile County | 23,705 | 2 |
| Semmes | Mobile County | 23,481 | 1 |
| Spanish Fort | Baldwin County | 21,765 | 2 |
| Bay Minette | Baldwin County | 20,641 | 1 |
| Gulf Shores | Baldwin County | 18,906 | 2 |
| Saraland | Mobile County | 17,143 | 1 |
| Atmore | Escambia County | 16,560 | 3 |
| Brewton | Escambia County | 16,407 | 2 |
Counties covered
| County | ZIP codes |
|---|---|
| Mobile County | 53 |
| Baldwin County | 26 |
| Washington County | 14 |
| Monroe County | 11 |
| Escambia County | 7 |
| Clarke County | 6 |
| Conecuh County | 5 |
| Choctaw County | 4 |
| Wilcox County | 3 |
Nearby area codes
How to dial area code 251
- Within North America: 251 + 7-digit number (251-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 251, then the 7-digit number — for example 00 1 251 NXX-XXXX from most of Europe.
Frequently asked questions
What area code is 251?
251 is a North American Numbering Plan area code assigned to Alabama, the United States. It covers about 762,561 people in 87 towns.
Is 251 a US or Canadian area code?
251 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 251 in?
Area code 251 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.