281 Area Code — Texas
281 is a North American Numbering Plan area code for Texas, the United States. It covers about 6,585,625 people in 51 towns and 280 ZIP codes, including Houston, Spring and Katy.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Area code | 281 |
| Country | United States (+1) |
| State / province | Texas |
| Type | Shares its towns with 346, 832, 713 |
| Time zone | Central |
| Population covered | 6,585,625 |
| Towns covered | 51 |
| ZIP codes | 280 |
| Approx. centre | 29.800, -95.408 |
Where area code 281 is used
Area code 281 is assigned to Texas, the United States, inside the North American Numbering Plan. Numbers in the code are written (281) NXX-XXXX at home and +1 281 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: 346, 832, 713. 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 281
The 51 towns below are the largest in the 281 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | Harris County | 3,237,593 | 178 |
| Spring | Harris County | 430,529 | 12 |
| Katy | Harris County | 413,575 | 6 |
| Richmond | Fort Bend County | 228,063 | 3 |
| Cypress | Harris County | 212,884 | 3 |
| Humble | Harris County | 189,304 | 4 |
| Sugar Land | Fort Bend County | 168,209 | 5 |
| Pasadena | Harris County | 144,871 | 8 |
| Pearland | Brazoria County | 142,397 | 3 |
| Baytown | Harris County | 135,579 | 4 |
| Missouri City | Fort Bend County | 123,513 | 2 |
| Tomball | Harris County | 113,991 | 2 |
Counties covered
| County | ZIP codes |
|---|---|
| Harris County | 228 |
| Fort Bend County | 18 |
| Montgomery County | 13 |
| Brazoria County | 8 |
| Galveston County | 7 |
| Waller County | 2 |
| Chambers County | 2 |
| Liberty County | 1 |
| San Jacinto County | 1 |
Other area codes serving the same towns
Nearby area codes
How to dial area code 281
- Within North America: 281 + 7-digit number (281-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 281, then the 7-digit number — for example 00 1 281 NXX-XXXX from most of Europe.
Frequently asked questions
What area code is 281?
281 is a North American Numbering Plan area code assigned to Texas, the United States. It covers about 6,585,625 people in 51 towns.
Is 281 a US or Canadian area code?
281 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 281 in?
Area code 281 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.