Boston area codes at a glance
| Code | Main places | Since | Overlay | Time zone | Exhaust |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 617 | Belmont, Boston, Brighton and more | 1947 | 857 | Eastern time | 2066 |
| 857 | Belmont, Boston, Brighton and more | 2001 | 617 | Eastern time | 2066 |
Source: the area code report plus the rate-centre report from NANPA public reports, file of 11/01/2026; for the exhaust year, see the NANPA projections file, 2026-1 (April 2026). We are not an official NANPA site.
Area codes close to Boston
The metro area around Boston, called Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, also uses 978, 508, 339, 781, 351 and 774.
Get a number in Boston
A Boston number can come from two routes. A provider assigns a new number when you sign up for its plan, choosing from the numbers that provider holds in the code. A seller puts numbers it already holds up for sale, often with a pattern, at a one-time price. After you choose one, you move it to a provider.
Providers, ranked by first-year cost
| Provider | Cheapest plan | First year | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
 Free app | Basic (Just for me), free | $0 | Open Google Voice |
 Free app | Free plan, free | $0 | Open TextNow |
 Developer API | Pay-as-you-go local number, $1.15 a month | $13.80 | Open Twilio |
 Second-number app | Standard, $3.99 a month billed yearly | $47.99 | Open Burner |
 Toll-free specialist | Solo, $6.99 a month billed yearly | $84 | Open UniTel Voice |
 Second-number app | Deluxe (local number), $6.99 a month billed yearly | $102.88 | Open GoDaddy Conversations (formerly Smartline) |
Sellers that list local numbers
| Seller | What it sells | Listed price | Monthly fee | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Marketplace | Local numbers | From $9 one-time | None stated | Search at Exclusive Digits |
 Marketplace | Local and toll-free | From $9.95 one-time | $2.99 a month | Search at NumberBarn |
 Number broker | Local and toll-free | From $99 one-time | None stated | Search at RingBoost |
 Number broker | Local and toll-free | From $100 one-time | None stated | Search at PhoneNumberExpert |
| 212areacode.comNumber broker | Local numbers | From $150 one-time | None stated | Search at 212areacode.com |
Some sellers and providers may pay us a referral fee. The order never changes, and it is based on first-year cost. How we make money
Boston area code questions
Which area code serves Boston?
Boston has two codes: 617 and 857. Since they overlay each other, a new number may come from either one.
Which Boston area code is the original?
617 has been in service since 1947.
When calling locally in Boston, is the area code dialed?
Yes, you use 10-digit dialling.